DTI charges Meiji Electric for faking import papers

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has filed formal charges against electrical equipment supplier Meiji Electric Philippines for faking the import commodity clearance (ICC) of uncertified wiring devices.

“DTI studied the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) records, and found out that there were no ICC certificates issued for the said shipments. Furthermore, the ICC certificate numbers are assigned to other importers and not to Meiji, thus, the subject ICC certificates are fake and invalid,” Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila said.

DTI confiscated 16,300 pieces of socket outlets and 7,250 pieces of snap switches because the certificates the company submitted to the Bureau of Customs (BoC) were fake.

Favila said he received a report from the Bureau of Customs questioning the authenticity of ICC certificates of ‘Meiji’ brand socket outlets and snap switches that were allegedly issued last Sept. 22.

With this, the DTI-National Capital Region (DTI-NCR) inspected and gathered samples of the uncertified items for testing. Aside fom the charges, DTI asked Meiji to account for the shipment.

Meanwhile, Favila ordered the mandatory product recall of the items that are subject of the inquiry.

The DTI order to seize the socket outlets and snap switches was issued to prevent these items from proliferating in the market. The confiscated products were brought to the DTI-NCR’s warehouse in Pasig City.

“With this blatant disregard for consumer safety, aside from the filing of a formal charge, we have asked Customs to blacklist the company from future transactions,” Favila said.

“We are also recommending for the forfeiture of the security bond they paid amounting to P150,000 in favor of the government,” he added.

Favila said there will also be an imposition of maximum penalty as per E.O 913 and Department Administrative Order No.05, Series of 2008 for two counts of falsification/ forging of public documents amounting to a maximum of P300,000 and the cancellation of Meiji’s business name.

“We are also calling on the Department of Justice to file the necessary criminal charges for falsification/forging of public documents,” said Favila.

Meiji Electric Philippines, Inc. was given 10 working days to answer the summons with preventive measure order.

Wiring devices such as socket outlets and snap switches are under the DTI’s mandatory product certification scheme, wherein all manufacturers and importers of such products are required to apply for the PS license and the ICC certificate, respectively, and have their products inspected and tested based on relevant PNS, prior sale and distribution in the market.