MANILA: IT seems that the decades-old smuggling at the Bureau of Customs (BoC) remains unabated no matter who sits in power.
Seemingly, too, this is one of the reasons why retired generals from the police and military assigned to Customs have failed in their task to raise revenue collection for the government.
Former Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Virginia Torres also fell in the midst of the smuggling controversy last August when she was reported to have negotiated for the release of 64 container vans full of smuggled Thai sugar worth P100 million, which lacked the necessary import permits.
What’s worse, Torres allegedly dropped the name of President Aquino, a close friend and shooting buddy, during her talks with Customs officials.
This incident could possibly reflect on PNoy himself and lead critics to suspect that profits from smuggling activities would be used to finance the campaign of the Liberal Party in the coming elections.
Despite Torres being a known ally of the President, Malacañang should act and file smuggling charges against her, thereby showing everyone that it meant business when it said that influence peddling would not be tolerated by the administration.
And of course, we shouldn’t forget the names that have continually emerged during Senate investigations like those of Manny Santos on rice smuggling, Tina Yu on plastic resin smuggling, and the Tebes brothers who allegedly made an empire on their smuggling activities.
If the government is truly serious in its efforts to curb the rampant smuggling at Customs, it should do everything in its power to go after the people involved in this illegal commerce.
Smuggling of illegal goods, in large quantities at that, is definitely an even bigger problem than the issue of OFW balikbayan boxes that Customs officials have recently focused on. Why make our OFWs endure a living hell in their efforts to send presents to their families and loved ones?
Bear in mind that these gifts were bought at the cost of their blood, sweat, and tears while striving to work in a distant land in order to provide for the needs of their families back home.
