Manila Port (UNTV News)
QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The House Committee on Ways and Means held a briefing Tuesday, May 15, on the incidents surrounding the release of 105 questionable containers from the port of Manila.
The said containers were under alert order previously issued by Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena.
According to Manila Port district collector Atty. Erastus Austria, the said containers arrived in the country within the period of January to March this year.
Based on initial investigation, the containers were able to exit the port using fake documents. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is currently looking into a possible conspiracy between the consignee and some Customs personnel.
During the briefing, Sultan Kudarat Representative Horacio Suansing Jr. cited that perhaps the reason why the containers were easily allowed exit was because Commissioner Lapeña issued a manual alert instead of the agency’s electronic alert system.
For the part of BOC, Deputy Commissioner Natalio Etroma defended Lapeña saying the agency’s electronic alert system that time was slow so the Commissioner, with his authority, issued a manual alert.
As of this writing, the BOC has no report yet as to what items are inside the containers.
The Lower House will set the formal hearing once the members of the Committee submit their resolution on the issue to find out who were behind the release of the questionable containers. — Grace Casin | UNTV News & Rescue
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