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House panel: Pass legislation replacing BOC


The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs has recommended the passing of legislation that will replace the Bureau of Customs as a revenue-collecting agency.

This, amid the controversy surrounding the illegal entry of P6.4-billion worth of shabu into the country.

In its 57-page committee report, the House panel chaired by Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers emphasized the need for a new revenue collecting agency "to avoid corruption and to increase revenue collection."

"A system may include fixing a one-time payment of import/export fees that would include duties/taxes, storage, warehousing, arrastre services and all expenses relative to importation/exportation," the committee report read.

The new system should also strengthen the border control function as it provides  a convenient flow of goods.

The committee likewise suggested the new system consider "privatization of non-sovereign functions" that the Department of Finance should extensively study.

The House panel has recently concluded its investigation into the multi-billion shabu shipment found after a raid on a Valenzuela City warehouse in May.

The Senate blue ribbon committee, however, is still conducting its own inquiry into the case.

Included in the committee report is the filing of appropriate criminal and administrative charges against former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon and other officials of the agency, as well as private individuals involved in the controversy, including "fixer" Mark Taguba and businessman Kenneth Dong.

Falsification charges have likewise been recommended against Faeldon's chief of staff, Atty. Mandy Anderson, for signing the daily time record of the athletes hired by the BOC to make it appear that they were reporting for duty as technical assistants and intelligence agents of the bureau.

Among the committee's other recommendations include the review of the agency's E2M Project by modifying the default mode of the Selectivity System to classify all shipments as general merchandise in the red lane.

There should also be an effective monitoring of the performance of BOC personnel involved in the physical inspection or examination of shipments.

This should be done by installing sufficient cargo inspection equipment and X-ray machines placed in all BOC ports in the country, CCTV cameras, and the use of body camera for customs inspectors, agents and operatives.

The House panel also recommended a deeper investigation of corruption in the agency that should be conducted by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability. —KG/KVD, GMA News

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