‘200 Customs examiners, appraisers to be replaced’

MANILA, Philippines - Some 200 Customs examiners and appraisers will be placed on “floating” status or transferred to the Customs Policy Research Office (CPRO) early next year, according to sources.

Another 200 people are reportedly undergoing training at the Office of Revenue Agency Modernization (ORAM) to replace them.

President Aquino set up the ORAM and CPRO under Executive Orders 140 and 139 for policy reforms.

Some appraisers and examiners are believed to be in cahoots with smugglers to allow illegal shipments to leave port.

The planned movement is part of the top-to-bottom revamp that has been taking place at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) since September last year.

Twenty-seven district collectors and some division chiefs were the first to be sent to the CPRO.

Meanwhile, the BOC has  implemented the Green Channel and Red Channel scheme to decongest passenger traffic during the holidays.

Under the scheme, passengers with items to declare will be separated from those with nothing to declare.

New Customs Commissioner John Sevilla had implemented Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 15-2013 that his predecessor Rufino Biazon had signed.

The CMO created a Dual Channels Declaration System – the Red and Green Channels for arriving passengers and crew at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The Green Channel is for passengers with nothing to declare or have with them no goods or only goods which can be admitted free of import duties and taxes and which are not subject to import prohibitions or restrictions.

The Red Channel covers passengers and crew with goods to declare or have with them goods above the exempted customs limits and/or are carrying prohibited or controlled goods.

The BOC has set up an OFW Lane intended to speed up the Customs processing for overseas Filipino workers.

The BOC hopes to simplify Customs procedures for arriving passengers, international airlines crew members and their baggage; to expedite the clearance of passengers, international airlines crew and their baggage; to contribute to the efforts to improve the flow of international arriving passenger traffic at NAIA for efficient and effective Customs control, and to collect lawful revenue on imported goods and prevent smuggling.

NAIA Terminal 1 was selected as the pilot site for the Green Channel and Red Channel scheme.

Under the CMO, the BOC will print the information, notices or leaflets on the Dual Channel Declaration System for the arrival route leading to the two lanes.

The BOC said all passengers and crew of international airlines would have to fill up the customs declaration form to be presented to the duty Customs examiner.

If the customs declaration shows that the arriving traveler has nothing to declare, the passenger would be directed to the Green Channel.

If the BOC receives advanced derogatory information against a passenger or crew or their baggage, the Customs examiner must exercise due diligence and direct the person to the Red Channel and proceed with the examination, assessment or, in appropriate cases, recommend the seizure or confiscation of the articles in accordance with existing customs laws, rules and regulations and other special laws implemented by the BOC.

If there are corresponding duties and taxes to be paid, the passenger or crew must pay the amount.

If it is discovered that the person is carrying prohibited articles such as illegal drugs, firearms, explosives, obscene or pornographic material, misbranded or adulterated articles of food and drugs, gambling outfits and  paraphernalia, and used clothing, these items would be confiscated.

Within 24 hours, the examiner must submit an incident report and recommend to the district collector the issuance of a warrant of seizure and detention.