Customs bureau clears oil company of smuggling

MANILA, Philippines - The customs bureau has cleared an oil firm of smuggling charges, prompting the latter to ask a Palace agency to withdraw from its oil depot north of Metro Manila. In a statement, Oilink Corp. legal counsel Raymond T. Zorrilla asked the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) to withdraw from their terminal after the Bureau of Customs (BoC) cleared Oilink of smuggling charges, adding the BoC did not endorse PASG’s raid. PASG was not available for comment as of press time. In the same statement, Customs Commission Napoleon L. Morales said Unioil has paid duties and taxes worth more than P80 million and all documentation was accounted for. Mr. Morales, who confirmed the contents of the Oilink statement, noted Unioil Petroleum Philippines, Inc. couldn’t be held liable for any omission of Oilink since the two are separate entities. PASG on Monday grounded Oilink products at the Mariveles port pending the settlement of obligations worth hundreds of millions pesos. According to PASG, Unioil was a front for Oilink to be able to withdraw the petroleum products, adding some Customs officials were involved in the act. PASG claimed both Unioil and Oilink tried to mislead authorities by claiming they are separate firms when, in fact, they are owned by a single individual. Mr. Zorrilla earlier said Oilink owns the terminal in Bataan, while Unioil and other oil companies lease several shore tanks within the terminal under a valid agreement. In the same statement, Oilink quoted Mr. Morales as saying that Limay district collector Edward Baltazar was unauthorized to lead the PASG raid because he was under preventive suspension for three months. The Ombudsman has suspended Mr. Baltazar over an extortion case filed against him by an importer. Oilink claimed it has paid P1.7 billion in taxes for 2007 alone. Last month, the Presidential Task Force on the Security of Energy Facilities and Enforcement of Energy Laws and Standards filed charges against Unioil and Oilink at the Department of Justice over the apprehension of seven oil tank trucks along P. Roman Highway in Bataan which were suspected of smuggling. The drivers of the vehicles failed to present documents such as delivery receipts, certificates of conveyance and calibration certificates for the transport of an estimated P5.5 million worth of petroleum products. The Palace task force was created on clamors from several sectors to curb oil smuggling in light of high oil prices experienced in July. Stakeholders have complained that the cost of unabated smuggling aggravates the high cost of petroleum products. - BusinessWorld