CONSIGNEES for hire continue to be a problem in the fight against smuggling as revealed in the hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform.
During Monday’s inquiry, Berches Consumer Goods Trading owner Jovelyn Berches Daria said her license was rented by a certain Mr. Vicente, with her broker, Brenda Sagun mediating.
“‘Yung broker kausap ng nag-i-import. May sinasabi silang in-buyer. Nangongomisyon lang kami,” said Daria.
“Parang flood control din pala. Ibig sabihin hindi kayo talaga ang nagbabayad, hindi kayo ang nag-i-import?” Committee Chair Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan asked.
“Hindi po,” answered Daria.
According to Sagun, however, she does not personally know Mr. Vicente and is no longer able to contact him.
Documents from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed Berches imported 19 containers which were declared to contain chicken lollipops and chicken poppers, but were discovered to have fresh carrots, red onions, and white onions.
The content of the 19 containers, according to DA Undersecretary Carlos Carag amounts to more than P59 million.
Daria said she only received P500 per container or P9,000 total from renting out her license.
Also invited to the hearing was 1024 Consumer Goods Trading owner Merlin Jacinto whose business supposedly imported 10 containers which were found to be in violation, according to Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.
The goods declared were chicken poppers and chicken lollipops but upon inspection, the containers were found to contain frozen mackerel and round scads.
Jacinto testified that he did not have any hand in the said importation and he already closed down his business.
“Kasi 2024 expired na ang registration ko sa Customs and closed na office,” Jacinto said.
“Obviously dummy si 1024,” Pangilinan stated.
Despite 1024 being closed, broker Lujin Arm Tenero admitted to signing Single Administrative Documents (SAD) in order to import four containers.
He said he was approached by a certain “Carlos” whom he met in a hangout outside the pier.
Tenero said he did not know Carlos’ last name.
Pangilinan questioned this.
The cost of the goods found in the four containers imported with the help of Tenero is more than P68 million, said the DA.
Queenstar Industry Consumer Trading owner Mark Anthony Baclig also denied being involved in smuggling after being flagged for allegedly importing three containers with agricultural products amounting to almost P20 million.
Queenstar’s broker Judy Ann Gumban-Jungco said she signed SADs for three entries under Queenstar.
The Senate committee also looked into possibly smuggled goods inside 11 containers intercepted as they were being transported from the Port of Subic.
Andrew Calixihan, BOC Deputy Collector for Assessment of the Port of Subic, said the containers were being escorted by Customs Police to the warehouse of Berches and 1024 because the Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation does not have a warehouse.
But according to Carag, their personnel who followed the three trucks said the BOC personnel who accompanied these eventually left.
Pangilinan denounced the alleged syndicate behind smuggling.
“May kamadang sindikato sa smuggling operations na ito,” Pangilinan said.
“Tulad ng sa corruption sa flood control projects, bilyon-bilyon din ang ninanakaw sa bayan dahil sa smuggling,” the senator added. “Trilyong halaga na ang nakumpiska natin na smuggled (goods), walang mga lisensya, wala pa tayong nakukulong. Mahiya naman tayong lahat.”
Nepomuceno said one way of fighting this is to digitalize their processes. (ABS-CBN News)
