Don’t tie our hands or there’s going to be hell to pay, Dominguez warns Lina

Incoming Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez warned the incumbent Bureau of Customs (BOC) leadership not to tie his and incoming Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon’s hands by crafting the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the newly signed Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

Dominguez is wary on the drafting of the IRR, which incumbent Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina wants to finish before he steps down from office on June 30.

“I told him [Lina] not to

tie my hands. He can put it [IRR] out, but if he ties my hands, our hands, or Faeldon’s hands, that he cannot do certain things, there’s going to be hell to pay,” Dominguez said.

But Lina allayed fears of the next administration that their hands would be tied in the implementation of reforms under the CMTA.

Lina said a public hearing would still be conducted for the IRR on the CMTA to improve the systems and processes in the BOC.

“They can attend, why not,” Lina said in an interview.

The outgoing commissioner even extended his invitation to Dominguez and Faeldon.

“Yes, they are invited,” Lina said when asked if they can attend the public hearing.

Under the Duterte administration, Dominguez would supervise both the BOC and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). These are both attached agencies of the Department of Finance (DOF).

Lina insisted that they can complete the draft of the implementing rules for the CMTA within the month.

“My duty is to make sure the IRR is prepared,” he said.

The BOC chief admitted that he had talked to Dominguez to greet each other, but Lina said whatever statement Dominguez issued to the media was not part of their conversation.

“I don’t know if he said that. I think that’s only a remark. It is impossible that he had told me that,” he said.

The CMTA aims to enhance the electronic trade facilitation of BOC and simplify Customs procedures raising additional revenues for the government.

The law would also allow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to send balikbayan boxes three times a year, each with 1150,000 worth of tax and duty free goods, provided that these are not in commercial quantities or intended for sale.

The other salient features of the bill are the de minimis or threshold value on duty-free imports that will be adjusted to 110,000 from the 110 ceiling and exemption of BOC employees from the Salary Standardization Law to grant them relatively higher pay.

Included are the legal interest of 20 percent, use of ICT for a paperless environment, relief consignment, provisional goods declaration, and special procedures for baggage, postal mail, and express shipments, among others.