CUSTOMS BUREAU MULLS REMOVAL OF CONTROVERSIAL ‘GREEN LANE’

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is eyeing the possible removal of the controversial “green lane,” through which shipments pass with relative ease at the bureau.

“If there is no need for the green lane then we’ll remove it, but as of now it remains suspended,” Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said in a press briefing on Monday.

“Until such time that the selectivity system of our computer system has been perfected ... until now it is not perfected. I cannot allow another P6.4-billion drug shipment to pass through it,” he said.

Suspension

Immediately after his assumption as BOC chief, Lapeña ordered the suspension of the green lane with the discovery of the P6.4-billion drug shipment from China that passed through what is also called the “fast lane” at the Manila port in May, leading to congressional hearings on alleged corruption at the BOC.

Under the BOC’s selectivity system, imported products pass through four lanes. Shipments in the super green lane, which is reserved for reputable firms, no longer go through inspection and document verification, while those in the green lane only undergo minimal inspection.

Document verification

Products in the yellow lane, meanwhile, undergo document verification and those in the red lane go through two levels of inspection.

With the suspension of the green lane, all shipments either pass through the red or yellow lane, meaning it either goes through X-ray examinations or document checking, respectively.

“The report I receive is that the number of containers that pass through the ports nationwide is 5,000 and 80 percent of that pass through the red lane. 20 percent pass through the yellow lane. No more green lane as of this day,” Lapeña said.

Asked about the possibility of lifting the green lane suspension, Lapeña said: “It’s possible, but until now, it’s not working perfectly so it cannot be used at the moment.”

“But at the moment that serious congestion at the ports [happens], I just might lift the suspension, that is the last resort,” he said.