10 more face raps for smuggling frozen chicken

At least 10 more Customs officials and employees were recommended for administrative and criminal charges in connection with the smuggling in January of 19 refrigerated container vans of chicken quarter legs at the Port of Batangas, it was learned yesterday.

The recommendation was contained in the report of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) which conducted the investigation on the illegal release of the multi-million-peso worth shipment. The report was submitted to Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo.

Bernardo earlier said that "more customs personnel would be charged administratively and criminally after an investigation on the smuggling of chicken quarter legs at the Port of Batangas had been completed."

The 10 to be charged criminally and administratively brings to 19 the number of Customs officials and employees found involved in the illegal release of the shipment of chicken quarter legs worth P50 million at the Port of Batangas.

Those earlier charged were Aguinaldo Marquez, chief of the port’s assessment division; Ligaya Platon, Oscar Balicanta, Ofelia Suena, Oscar Boongaling, Epitacio Punzalan, Vic Arthur Limbaco, Rolando Roque and Luisa Castillo, all port operations officers.

Marquez, Platon, Boongaling and Castillo were criminally and administratively charged with smuggling, while the rest were charged administratively for falsification of public documents, dishonesty and gross negligence.

Heading the list of new Customs personnel to be charged was an official whose designation was special assistant to the district collector of the Port of Batangas. He was said to be the "principal facilitator" of the smuggled chicken legs, which were declared as polyester bags.

The shipment originated from Canada and was packed in the United States. It was shipped first to Taiwan, one of the Asian countries infected by the deadly bird flu, before it arrived at the Port of Batangas, where it was brought out of port on Jan. 23 under cover of darkness.

Customs Deputy Commissioner Ray Alas said that the shipment was not covered by any import permit and was declared as polyester bags. It was released despite a hold order from the Anti—Smuggling Intelligence and Investigation Command (ASIIC) and the Department of Agriculture (DAR) on suspicion that it harbored the bird flu virus.

The bureau was able to recover most of the container vans of chicken legs, except for the eight vans that were found empty in Navotas.