BOC orders faster processing of cargo docs

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Humihingi ngayon ng hustisya ang pamilya at mga kaibigan ng pinaslang na radio station manager ng dxbf Prime sa Bislig City sa Surigao del Sur noon nakaraang linggo.

Tinambangan ng mga armadong nakasakay sa van si Christopher Lozada, 29, at ang kasamang si Honey Faith Indog matapos na mag-slow down ang kanilang kotse habang pauwi sa bahay.

Nakabuntot umano ang mga salarin at dinikitan nito ang sasakyan ni Lozada at saka niratrat ng malapitan. Dead on the spot si Lozada na siyang operations manager at anchorman ng dxbf Prime Broadcasting Network. Naisugod naman sa pagamutan ang babae matapos na tumakas ang mga kriminal, ngunit hindi pa mabatid ang kalagayan ni Indog.

Nakakatanggap umano ng mga pagbabanta sa kanyang buhay si Lozada dahil sa kanyang trabaho bilang brodkaster. May programa ito na “Batikos ni Chris Rapido” na kung saan ay ibat-ibang isyu ang kanyang tinatalakay. Sa kanyang post sa Facebook nitong Oktubre 15 ay ito ang kanyang inilagay: I’m not an activist; I don’t look for controversy. I’m not a political person, but I’m a person with compassion. I care passionately about equal rights. I care about human rights. I care about animal rights.”

Walang umako sa pagpatay kay Lozada na ikalimang mamanahayag na pinaslang sa ilalim ng isang taon administrasyon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, ayon sa media watchdog National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. CUSTOMS COMMISSIONER Isidro Lapeña has issued an order setting a five-day mandatory timeframe to respond to all clients or companies transacting business with the Bureau of Customs.

The order, contained in Customs Memorandum Order No. 24-2017, was in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to fast-track processing of documents in government offices.

“Communication letters, requests, and other permits shall be acted by the concerned office within five days upon receipt of documents. When there's delay, there is grease money,” Lapeña said.

Lapeña noted that delays have caused the importers to resort to bribery and look for people who can facilitate their shipments and documents. Once shipments are facilitated, most of the times the importers resort to benchmarking, one of the reasons why the BOC cannot hit the target set by the Department of Finance, he said.

At the same time, the BOC chief ordered the Account Management Office (AMO) to streamline the procedures in the accreditation of importers and brokers. Pertaining to AMO as the first show window of the bureau, he criticized the said office for the delays, stressing that it takes a month or two before the documents are released.

"Once documents are complete, the processing time shall start and it should not exceed five days," he said. With this, the BOC chief urged applicants to report to the Office of the Commissioner if their permits were not yet released by AMO within the 5-day timeframe.

"The Bureau of Customs is now two steps in eradicating the centurypractice of graft and corruption in the agency," he said.

The order was also issued pursuant to RA 6713 known as Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards from Public Officials and Employees, RA 9845 or the Anti-red Tape Act of 2007, and SONA Directive No. 2017-0010 of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco.