Oilink wants PASG men out of its Bataan oil depot

MANILA, Philippines - Oilink International Corporation on Wednesday asked the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) to start pulling out its forces from the Bataan oil depot it has been occupying since Monday following a raid. This was after the Bureau of Customs admitted that the raid, done in coordination with Limay District Collector Edward Baltazar, was not sanctioned by the agency since Baltazar has been on preventive suspension since last month. "We are relieved that the BOC has confirmed our stand relative to the operations of Oilink as well as the validity of the importations made by Unioil, which leases our shore tanks, " Oilink chief legal counsel Raymond Zorrilla said. "We request the PASG, under the able leadership of Usec. (Antonio) Villar, to pull out of the terminal and not allow itself to be continuously misled by someone with questionable motives," he added. Customs commissioner Napoleon Morales had earlier asked PASG to review the documents that were used as basis for the raid because as far as the bureau is concerned, Unioil is not engaged in oil smuggling. Morales said Baltazar has no authority to join the raid since the Office of the Ombudsman had issued a suspension order against him last month. Zorilla said the PASG may have been misled into conducting the “questionable” raid. “The PASG may have been given the wrong information,” he said. Meanwhile, Zorilla reiterated that Oilink is not involved in irregularities, saying that complaints filed against it by the BOC and PASG have been dismissed by the Department of Justice and the Court of Tax Appeals. "Oilink has no tax evasion case nor is it a party to a smuggling case worth P2.7 billion. The P2.7 billion is not a matter of unpaid taxes. It is an administrative fine imposed by the BOC for the mere delay to provide them a number of documents,” the Oilink counsel said. He added that they have questioned such fine for being contrary to law and the terms and conditions approved by the Finance department. At present, the case is still pending with the BOC and a ruling has to be finally made whether to impose the said penalty. - GMANews.TV