BOC execs probed for diversion of smuggled P23M luncheon meat

By Jerry Padilla

CURRIMAO, Ilocos Norte -- Customs officials in Currimao, Ilocos Norte and private importers are now under administrative and criminal investigation for the alleged diversion of P23 million worth of imported canned luncheon meat, the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group said.

PASG chief Undersecretary Antonio Villar said in a statement that the Bureau of Customs officials were involved in the alleged diversion of five container vans loaded with untaxed luncheon meat from Clark Field in Pampanga to Poro Point.

He identified the officials as Customs wharfinger Ramon Imbisan and other BOC personnel assigned at the sub-port of Currimao, together with Richard Guerrero, operations manager of Aurum Consolidated Inc. (ACI), and Josephine Cruz, marketing manager of Value City Sales Inc. (VCSI).

Villar said the shipped “hot” cargo was seized by PASG operatives for violation of Section 2503 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines for diversion of untaxed foreign cargo.

Prior to the cargo’s seizure, Villar deployed his men to Poro Point in La Union last April 29 to effect a warrant of seizure and detention in Currimao for the 12,025 cases of imported Hormel luncheon meat reportedly owned by VCSI, with office address in Clark Field, Pampanga.

The PASG team led by Jovellano Templo successfully served the warrant issued by the Customs collector of the Port of San Fernando in La Union, in coordination with the Coast Guard through Ltjg. Alberto Ferre, to ACI, the consignee of the luncheon meat found in Warehouse No. 3.

Instead of receiving the warrant, Guerrero initially gave the PASG team his letter addressed to Imbisan and waiver of liability signed by Cruz.

The team proceeded to Imbisan’s office in Currimao but the BOC official advised the PASG personnel that his superior, Customs official Felipe Lunag, should address the matter.

But Lunag also refused to accept the warrant issued by Edward Baltazar, district collector of the Port of San Fernando and sub-port of Currimao, Villar said.

“Imbisan abused his discretion to the detriment of public interest and the government in allowing the discharge and bringing out of cargoes for temporary warehousing purposes,” Villar said in the statement.

Jovillano Templo, head of a PASG team, confirmed the shipment of Spam canned, pre-cooked meat, a product of Hormel Foods in Minnesota, United States, was loaded in five containers.

He said the shipment was smuggled and diverted from its official destination after it arrived in Subic early last month.

"The goods came from US and its final destination is supposed to be Clark Field in Pampanga where its consignee, Value City, was located, but it was diverted to the north.

This is a scheme of diversion. That is already smuggling," Templo told reporters in San Fernado City, La Union after his team conducted the raid at the port in Ilocos Norte.

However, the PASG earlier failed to haul the items because it was not able to enforce the warrant of seizure and detention issued by Collector Edward Baltazar of the Port of San Fernando, La Union for the smuggled goods because the people who are taking custody of the shipment refused to accept the WSD.

"We were ordered by Undersecretary Antonio Villar to serve the WSD issued by Collector Baltazar but the wharfinger of Currimao, Ramon Imbisan, told me that he is not the consignee, and the operations manager of warehouse of Aurum Pacific Inc. refused to receive it," Templo said, alleging that the transshipment process was irregularly done in Subic by some personnel of Bureau of Customs and their cohorts.

Templo said the goods were being secured, and investigation is now ongoing in preparation for the filing of charges against those involved in the smuggling.
Baltazar said that there is a clear case of smuggling because only cigarette and liquor are the commodities allowed to be shipped to Currimao, and canned goods are not.

"The transshipment going to the north involves only two commodities, cigarette and liquor. Nothing else. This diversion of shipment was done by a dismissed collector of the Port of San Fernando and his cohorts in Currimao and Subic," Baltazar said, but he did not name names.

Baltazar said that wharfinger Imbisan had been dismissed by the Ombudsman as a BoC employee, but he has been staying in his position in Currimao because he is being protected by the dismissed collector who has connections with some top government officials.

Baltazar said he will wait for the result of the investigation being conducted by PASG before he makes his recommendations to the BoC commissioner.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Philippine Industries lauded the efforts of San Fernando Port Collector Baltazar to stop smuggling activities in the northern ports.

FPI president Jess Arranza noted that in the past, Baltazar was also instrumental in stopping the activities of a smuggling-pilferage group at Poro Point.