Removal of BOC green lane eyed

Total removal of the green lane in the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is being considered once it perfects its system, Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said.

“Yes, I’m seeing that – total removal of green lane – because if there’s no need of the green lane then I will remove that because that’s where the 605 kilos of shabu passed through,” Lapeña said during a recent press briefing.

“I cannot allow another 605 kilos of shabu to pass through my system that is why I suspended it (green lane),” Lapeña added.

The Customs commissioner suspended the green lane in August due to the 16.4-billion drug shipment that pass through the green lane with relative ease.

On Monday, Lapeña reaffirmed that the suspension remains as it is despite claims from stakeholders that the suspension is causing port congestions.

He also said “there is no timeline on the suspension.”

“The way it’s going – the suspension of the green lane – is not affecting the process of inspection of the container vans,” Lapeña said.

“And I observed that the suspension of the green lane is not the one causing the congestion. It’s other else,” he added.

The commissioner further said that, according to their study, one of the causes of delays in the ports is the examiners who have been assigned there to assist the processing of the papers of the shipments.

“Several actions have been taken by the BOC, one is the removal of examiners that were there to assist, facilitate the processing of the papers of the shipments,” Lapeña said.

He said that after the X-ray inspection the shipments can move on, however, long lines are caused by erring examiners who were not on their posts.

“Dahil ‘pag tapos na ‘yung X-ray hahanapin pa ‘yung examiner and then the report I have mukhang nagpapahanap talaga yung examiner. May delay kung mabagal ang processing, lumalabas na ganoon ang nangyayari dito sa Customs (Once the X-ray examination is done, the examiners are nowhere found and based on the reports that I have, it looks like it is intentional. Delays occur if the processing is slow, that’s what’s happening here in Customs),” Lapeña said.

“So I removed all these examiners,” he added.

Lapeña also cited that another cause of delay in the release of shipments is the long line of trucks caused by an illegitimate checkpoint outside the Port of Manila.

Since the scheme was uncovered, Lapeña said the flow of the container vans is normal and it has been monitored very closely.

“So there is no need to lift the suspension of the green lane and will remain as it is,” he said.

If congestion occurs in the ports and it becomes worse, Lapeña said the last resort would be to lift the suspension.

“But now with all the remedies that we have done, okay naman,” he said.