Heads to roll at Mindanao BOC as 30 ‘hot’ containers slip out of Misamis yard
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Heads will roll at the Mindanao Container Port Terminal (MCPT) after a top Bureau of Customs (BOC) official vowed to go after erring officials who allowed 30 container vans to slip out of a container yard in Misamis Oriental last week.
Recognition and commendation rites Friday turned into gloomy after BOC Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Jessie Dellosa threatened to hold an internal probe on the missing containers, believed to contain highlydutiable items, from the sprawling 9.4-hectare container yard in Tagoloan town.
An irked Dellosa announced that those who would be found responsible for taking the container vans out of the Tagoloan container yard will face criminal charges for smuggling.
Dellosa’s remarks doused whatever funfare there was during his visit here Friday, when he was supposed to congratulate the BOC’s MCPT subdistrict for seizing last May 24, at least, 12 40-foot containers that had imported sugar and domestic candies and toys but misdeclared as houseware.
The tough-talking Customs official, who once served as Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, berated his subordinates after receiving the intelligence report in his capacity as head of the agency’s Intelligence Group.
“These were the ones that we have intercepted. But I believe there were others. Nalusutan kami, mga 25 or 30 containers, siguro. This should be investigated (and we will find out) if there’s collusion between our own personnel and the smugglers,” he said.
The 12 containers were disembarked last May 24 from M/V Valdivia, an international cargo vessel, travelling under the Marshall Islands flag.
Dellosa inspected the container vans, which the BOC-10 confiscated in favor of the government after they were misdeclared as housewares, kitchenware, furniture and other goods, instead of sugar.
Eight containers contained sugar imported from China but processed in Thailand, one container held toys, another held candies while another held tea. At least, 400,000 sacks were opened by BOC-10 inside the MCPT.
The 400,000 kilos of sugar alone was believed to worth million, the consignee of which was identified as AMD Royale Enterprises based in Cagayan de Oro City.