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MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Rey Guerrero has denied being among the many alleged protectors and smugglers of agricultural merchandise, as said by a Senate report.
The Senate committee of the entire in a report earlier recognized Guerrero, together with 21 different BOC officers, as both alleged smugglers or protectors of agri-fishery that have been “technically smuggled” into the nation from 2019-2022.
“I vehemently deny the accusations in opposition to me on my alleged involvement in agricultural smuggling based mostly on a supposed ‘validated’ checklist,” Guerrero stated in an announcement.
“Legislation enforcement companies such because the Nationwide Intelligence Coordinating Company, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Nationwide Police denied the discharge or submission of any Intelligence Report from their respective companies allegedly implicating any BOC official in any smuggling exercise,” he added.
Guerrero even stated that the identical Senate panel report confirmed quite a few accomplishments of BOC in its marketing campaign in opposition to agricultural smuggling, in addition to the adoption of the chief suggestions which he himself directed.
Among the many suggestions, stated Guererro, “are the strengthened inter-agency collaboration and knowledge change of related info and paperwork such because the Inward International Manifest, amongst others.”
He claimed that the BOC additionally allowed Division of Agriculture (DA) representatives to “participate within the non-intrusive inspection of containers to make sure full transparency within the examination of agricultural merchandise.”
He stated the BOC additionally supplied the DA to deputize its personnel for enforcement operations, allocating extra sources to enforcement assessments by procuring 200 body-worn cameras, 20 items of quick patrol vessels, 60 superior cellular x-ray machines, 16 Hint Detection Methods, and 100 rifles.
“Additional, 199 new enforcement personnel have been employed, and 40 have been promoted since 2018,” he added.
Guerrero likewise stated the BOC established the Customs Operations Heart (COC) — which, in accordance with him, proved to be efficient in “guarding the borders by the fast processing of all info and finally deterring any potential violation.”
He then claimed that 82 p.c or 139 out of the 170 BOC processes are actually automated to scale back human intervention that gives an avenue for negotiation.
“With these measures in place, we have been capable of seize a complete of P2.5 billion price of smuggled agricultural merchandise in numerous ports nationwide from 2016 to Might 2022, whereas a complete of 111 felony circumstances have been filed earlier than the Division of Justice in opposition to unscrupulous stakeholders,” Guerrero stated.
He additional stated that the BOC even revoked the accreditation of 84 importers and customs brokers concerned in agricultural smuggling since 2019.
“We firmly denounce fraudulent importations of agricultural merchandise. BOC stays dedicated to its mandate of securing the nation’s borders in opposition to the entry of smuggled agricultural merchandise and different illicit items,” stated Guerrero.
The Senate panel report confirmed that the quantity of technically smuggled agri-fishery commodities from 2019- 2022 might have reached P667.5 million.
It additionally famous that 31 smuggling circumstances stay pending since Might 28, 2021, involving an estimated quantity of P848.327 million.
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KGA
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