Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes, who also heads Task Force Anti-Smuggling (TFAS), said the agreement he signed with Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina and Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño was the result of the bi-weekly meetings of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Anti-Smuggling.
"With this agreement there will be a coordinated effort among government agencies for the effective and expeditious resolution of smuggling cases," Reyes said. Prosecuting smugglers has so far been the weakest point of the government’s drive against smuggling, he acknowledged.
In the past, only the Bureau of Customs was authorized to file charges and complaints against a suspected smuggler.
Under the new agreement, each administrative case will be jointly handled by a team of lawyers from Customs and the TFAS Directorate for Legal Matters.
TFAS is also authorized to directly file charges against persons apprehended for violations of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines and file complaints with the Department of Justice, except on matters involving revenue generation.
TFAS is currently handling 20 cases, two of which were already filed with the DOJ while 18 are still under investigation.
In contrast, of the 60 smuggling cases handled by the former National Anti-Smuggling Task Force, which was in existence from March to May last year, not a single one has been resolved.
"That is why this agreement is a big boost to our campaign and we hope that this will result in smugglers being put behind bars," Reyes said in a press statement.
According to estimates, the government is losing P56 billion yearly due to rampant smuggling by big-time syndicates operating in the country’s premiere sea and air container ports.