Zarate to get to the bottom of illegally-released container vans

Expect Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Carlos Zarate to ask the tough questions once the House of Representatives resumes its inquiry on the case of the alleged illegal importation and release of 105 container vans by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

“Kailangan hanapin yun. May mga ano na noon na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa malinaw na sinagot ng Bureau of Customs, saan na ito? It has to be accounted for at ano ba talaga laman nito (We need to find those. The Bureau of Customs has given unclear answers on this, where are they? It has to be accounted for and we must know its contents),” Zarate said in an interview.

The opposition lawmaker was referring to the 105 containers that had been flagged at the Port of Manila but somehow still got through.

“There have been many issues about how contraband get past the Bureau of Customs, including shabu according to the PDEA, and they can’t find it. These containers must be found. The problem with the many controversies happening there is that there is no accountability, nobody gets punished,” he said in Filipino.

On April 6, the BOC filed smuggling charges against port operator Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) as well as importers and brokers for allegedly orchestrating the illegal release of the container vans.

The Bureau, citing witnesses’ accounts, specifically pointed to a certain Julie “Kimberly” Gamboa as allegedly having contracted a licensed broker, a trucking firm, and a warehouse owner in connection with the container vans.

The House Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Quirino Rep. Dakila Cua held a hearing on the matter last May before Congress went on recess. Last week, Cua said he would call for another hearing once the committee schedule permits it.

This was welcomed by Zarate, who expressed doubts on the truthfulness of the prior declaration that the questioned vans contained ceramic tiles and diapers.

“We will certainly quiz them after this budget process. We will look for those because they couldn’t have simply disappeared. Those contained something, someone took them, and someone earned money. Even if we still don’t know what they contained,” he said.

Asked what he believes the containers held, Zarate said: “Pwedeng smuggled goods, pwedeng may droga. Mayroong malinaw na sagot tungkol dito (It could be smuggled goods, it could be drugs. There’s a clear answer about this).”