BOC to donate 47K liters of seized fuel to AFP, PCG

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will donate 47,356.8 liters of seized fuel to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said that Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has approved the turn over of 41,356.8 liters of fuel to the PCG and 6,000 liters to the military.

"These fuel stocks were seized during the BOC’s enforcement activities under the Fuel Marking Program," the DOF said.

Section 1141 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) permits goods that are subject to forfeiture proceedings to be donated to another government agency upon the approval of the Finance Secretary.

According to the agreement, the AFP will provide the needed manpower to assist the BOC in its law enforcement activities, while the BOC will donate the seized fuel to the military.

Around 11,000 liters of diesel fuel were seized by the BOC on February 24, 2021, inside the premises of Joycel Bus Lines in Caloocan City after field tests showed that they were unmarked, meaning no duties or taxes were paid for them.

The BOC also seized 23,999 liters of unmarked fuel from the facilities of Lemiz Fuel Station and Star Oil/Min Ley Gasoline Station, both located in Meycauayan, Bulacan, and at the Fuel Source Gas Station in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, during several field testing operations done in Metro Manila and nearby provinces late last year.

It also confiscated 6,357.8 liters of fuel in September last year at a retail gas station in Arayat, Pampanga operated by Luzon Petromobil Integrated Service Stations Inc.

"Fuel marking, which involves injecting chemical identifiers into tax-paid oil products, is being carried out under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law to curb smuggling of petroleum products," the DOF said.

Under Section 7 of the DOF-BOC-Bureau of Internal Revenue Joint Circular No. 001.2021, petroleum products that are unmarked, with diluted markers, or have counterfeit fuel markers shall be subject to duties and taxes, inclusive of the appropriate fines and penalties.

“This is without prejudice to the confiscation and forfeiture of such products and the filing of the appropriate criminal cases against those liable for violating the law,” the DOF said. —VBL, GMA News