Customs clears First Gentleman’s friends of smuggling

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) yesterday cleared two close friends of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo from involvement in smuggling activities as a result of a seven-month investigation that was ordered by the Senate.

Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said they have found no evidence linking Vicky Toh and her brother Tomas to smuggling based on records of the BoC and other government agencies in the last three years.

"Based on the results of the BoC investigation panel, we have no record or evidence of any transaction by the Tohs including these made by Linen and Bath Co. Inc., which lists the Tohs as incorporators," Morales said.

In a statement, Morales said he believes the persistent allegation of their involvement in smuggling could possibly be attributed to "some political objectives." He did not elaborate.

"The BoC or any other government agency cannot prosecute anyone without documented evidence or proof of guilt," he said.

The investigation panel was convened in January when the Senate urged the bureau to investigate the operations of several big-time.

Morales said the panel conducted a record check on all the listed names and any of the evidence regarding their involvement in illegal transactions.

They asked the assistance of other agencies, including the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.

Morales said they would continue the investigation to determine possible involvement in smuggling operations of other figures identified by the Senate.

"The BoC will continue its fight against smuggling and we have gained significant strides in this effort. The most significant indication of our anti-smuggling drive is the record collections of BoC this year," he said.

The bureau has already surpassed its target collections for the first seven months of this year, collecting P110.48 billion in total.

"This is 40.5 percent higher than what was collected for the same period last year," Morales said.

The bureau has already notified the Tohs’ lawyer, Nemesio Aranzaso, that clearances will be granted to the Tohs.

In 2003, Sen. Panfilo Lacson gave a privilege speech in the Senate accusing President Arroyo’s husband of money laundering.

Lacson alleged that First Gentleman Arroyo had laundered up to P128 million in several dummy bank accounts, three of them under the name Jose Pidal.

He claimed that Vicky Toh, Arroyo’s personal secretary, acted as a dummy for two of the Pidal accounts, which Toh denied.

Arroyo also used the accounts of Toh and those of Toh’s brother Tomas and brother-in-law Kelvin Tan, Lacson said.

Lacson’s allegations launched a Senate investigation that got stalled when Mr. Arroyo’s younger brother, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo, claimed ownership of the bank accounts but invoked his right to privacy and refused to divulge details.