Still no manual inspection of balikbayan boxes, says BOC chief   

Manual inspection of balikbayan boxes will still not be allowed under the impending memorandum order of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said Friday, allaying fears of OFWs.

"Hindi po binubulatlat ang balikbayan box. Pagdating po niyan dito, sa X-ray lang 'yan dadaan. Pag walang nakitang kontrabando, drugs o kung anuman, walang bubuksan," Faeldon said in an interview on radio DZBB.

He added: "Iho-hold lang 'yung box mo kung nakakita na tayo ng baril o drugs. Yun lang ang hino-hold."

The BOC's no-touch policy on balikbayan boxes was reaffirmed to allay fears of OFWs following the scheduled implementation of Customs Memorandum Order 04-2017 on August 1. The order states that balikbayan boxes will be inspected for suspicious items.

Faeldon said balikbayan boxes will still undergo X-ray scanning and will only be opened in case suspicious items are detected after scanning.

Faeldon said CMO 04-2017 merely provided guidelines to implement laws passed by Congress to curb smuggling and that the BOC has no power to pass laws by itself.

"Hindi ko po yun batas. Ito po ay CMTA, Customs Modernization and Tarrif Act. Batas po yan na ginawa ng ating kongreso na napakagandang batas po nito," Faeldon said.

"Itong bagong Customs Memorandum Order ay patungkol po ito sa local consolidators to guide them kung paano nila gagawin," he added. "Titingnan mo yung wisdom ng batas, ito yung gustong mangyari nun. Para matiyak natin na itong mga balikbayan boxes ay hindi magagamit para abusuhin."

The customs commissioner also reprimanded some freight forwarders claiming the new memorandum order will add 15 to 20 days to the delivery time of balikbayan boxes.

"Be more responsible in disseminating information that affects our countrymen," he told them. —Rie Takumi/KBK/KVD, GMA News