Ilocos Sur officials denounce Task Force Aduana raids

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur -- Local officials here led by Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson denounced yesterday the martial law-like raid staged by elements of the Task Force Aduana on a coastal village last weekend.

Troops belonging to the presidential anti-smuggling unit launched an air and ground assault on the village of Poro Pingit in Magsingal town Saturday, and confiscated motorcycles and household appliances from surprised villagers.

The task force, backed by two helicopter gunships, recovered 443 motorcycles including 18 big racing bikes, and 20 television sets, video and tape recorders believed to have been smuggled into the country by ships coming from Japan, Taiwan and China.

But President Estrada defended yesterday the raid by the presidential task force, which is headed by Presidential Security Group chief Gen. Jose Calimlim, saying it was done legally and in accordance with the law.

"There is prima facie evidence, on the spot, it was actual (seizure), the bikes were not taken from the houses," the President pointed out, adding that Singson's indignation was understandable because his constituents were affected.

He said he ordered Calimlim and Singson to work out with Finance Secretary Jose Pardo a possible tax and duty payment scheme for the seized bikes.

On Singson's suggestion that the bikes' owners be allowed to pay taxes, Mr. Estrada warned this may set off another controversy as in the "hot" cars issue.

"But these farmers do not have the money for these things. So I want to go after the masterminds or the financier which in this case was allegedly an Indian national," he said.

Ilocos Sur police chief Senior Superintendent Joselito Uy Tan decried that even motorcycles being driven by their owners in neighboring towns, but suspected to have been bought in Poro Pingit, were also confiscated.

The fishing village has long been suspected to be the entry point of contraband motorcycles, known locally as "chop-chop."

Singson vowed in a radio interview yesterday to file legal action against the raiding party -- composed of around 60 soldiers led by an Army official identified only as General Carillo -- for having allegedly violated the rights of village residents, some of whom were said to be physically harmed.

"I call on everyone harmed or whose houses were searched without the pertinent warrants to go to the provincial capitol," he said, adding he was meeting with some lawyers to build a case against the task force.

He dared Calimlim to go after the big-time smugglers in Metro Manila and not waste time on the small fry.

Calimlim came here for a short visit Saturday afternoon and proceeded to the task force's advance command post at the provincial police camp in Bantay town.

In a statement released by Malacañang yesterday, Calimlim said the Ilocos raid should serve as a warning to smugglers.

"I hope these operations we have conducted these past few days in the Ilocos region will serve as warning to all smugglers and their cohorts," he said.

Calimlim also identified two families, Torricer and Arquero, as alleged "big-time" smugglers in the area, adding that their operations flourished because of collusion with public servants.

The anti-smuggling group's show of force Saturday morning clearly irked provincial officials.

"You would think it was martial law," provincial board member Efren Rafanan said yesterday in a radio program. He was joined by fellow board member Jerry Singson who said that six by six Army trucks with task force soldiers on board patrolled through San Vicente, Vigan and Bantay towns, alarming residents.

Among the violations cited by Singson, apart from the alleged lack of search warrants, were the alleged destruction of the houses of several fishermen in the area, indiscriminate firing of guns by the raiders, and purported roughing up of residents.

But former Rep. Mariano Tajon of the province's first district, which covers Poro Pingit, declared in another radio interview yesterday that search warrants were not needed "because the place is well-known and notorious" for smuggled motorcycles.

He said that the motorcycles are displayed prominently in the fishing village and the raiders can just confiscate them "if there are no importation documents that their owners can present."

The former lawmaker noted that Poro Pingit is not a legitimate port of entry (of imported merchandise) and the villagers have not been paying taxes for them "to the detriment of the legitimate manufacturers and traders who are selling similar products."

"Of course, they sell the merchandise cheaper, that's why they're so popular; but what about the legitimate traders and manufacturers?" Tajon asked.

He reported that the Aduana group left the province for Manila Sunday night with the confiscated items.

Earlier news reports alleged that ocean-going vessels sailing from Japan, Taiwan and China have occasionally dumped the second-hand motorcycles and appliances in the high seas to the waiting arms of fishermen who allegedly were aware of the time and date of the vessels' passage. -- Marichu Villanueva, Myds Supnad, Jose Rodel Clapano