MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is offering a reward for those who will offer valuable information regarding the trade of smuggled goods, said Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio on Tuesday.
This statement comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to double down on agricultural smugglers and hoarders. The President also serves as the concurrent agriculture secretary.
“It’s about 20 percent po of the value of the goods. Kapag iyong goods po na nakuha natin are goods of value na pwede nating i-auction, then they are entitled [to a reward],” said Rubio in a Palace briefing.
Rubio is pertaining to Sec. 1512 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), which described the reward to informants.
“A cash reward equivalent to twenty percent of the actual proceeds from the sale of smuggled goods and confiscated goods or actual collection of additional revenues shall be given to the customs and non-customs informers or whistleblowers who are instrumental in the collection of additional revenues arising from the discovery of violations of this Act in accordance with the rules and regulations to be issued by the Secretary of Finance,” read the CMTA.
Those with valuable information are directed by the BOC to go to the agency’s website where they can offer their tips.
The BOC had recently raided a warehouse with P505 million worth of rice which may have been smuggled. (Jean Mangaluz © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
