MANILA: In the past some politicians raised campaign funds from drug trafficking, but now they turn to smuggling.
A great example is this former vice mayor in Mindoro, who is a known smuggler of sugar and has the guts to run for a congressional seat in next year’s elections.
A Bureau of Customs (BOC) insider, who asked not to be named, said this crooked politician owned all the smuggled sugar confiscated by the bureau recently.
This corrupt politico goes by the monicker “Joel Tenis.”
He is the broker of almost all sugar imported into the country but does not have a permit from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
My source also confirmed that Joel Tenis owns the tons of sugar confiscated by the BOC that former Land Transportation Office chief Virgie Torres demanded to be released by the bureau and shipped to Hacienda Luisita.
Joel Tenis rakes in millions of pesos from importing sugar but never paid the correct taxes and dues because he always misdeclares his cargoes not without help from his cohorts at the Customs bureau.
Another smuggler politician, called “Diamond,” has accumulated wealth at the piers and is now running for reelection to a local post in Davao peninsula.
This nincompoop also imports sugar through the Cagayan de Oro port.
Like Joel Tenis, this Diamond does not have a permit from SRA either.
I really do not know how acting Justice Secretary Alfredo Caguioa would be able to stop these smugglers at the piers when they are actually political allies or cronies of the Aquino administration?
That is also why Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina has turned a blind eye to these illegal activities.
Another milking cow of reigning politicians is the firm LK Trading, owned by an “Alex” and “Bobby” who grossly misdeclare their Korean beverages and food imports, thereby evading payment of correct taxes and dues in billions of pesos.
