8 BOC execs face raps for ‘ghost’ firm

The Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group filed yesterday cases against eight Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials and six members of a “ghost corporation” before the Department of Justice for their involvement in the smuggling of more than P500 million worth of plastic resin into the country.

PASG chief Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr. said a thorough investigation showed that Spyca International was “bogus firm” that smuggled plastic resin worth a total of $12.53 million (P564.27 million).

He said that with the connivance of BOC personnel, Spyca was able to illegally import $9.1 million worth of plastic resin from May to December 2006 and another shipment worth $3.4 million from Jan. 2 to 26 this year.

“Spyca neither has the factory or machineries to process raw materials like plastic resin. But they were able to smuggle these goods into the country through a BoC-accredited Customs Bonded Warehouse,” he said.

Based on the documents gathered by the PASG, Spyca’s indicated the warehouse addresses in BOC documents were fictitious.

Charged with violating the anti-graft law and the Tariff and Customs Code were lawyer Romalino Valdez, acting chief of the Customs Miscellaneous Manufacturing Bonded Warehouse Division; lawyer Alvin Guiam, head of the Bonded Warehouse Committee Technical Working Group; BWCTWG member Marc Henry Tan; BWCTWG personnel Dolores Domingo and Orencio Baranda; and Customs broker Emelita Reyes.

Spyca employees who were charged include account officer Marilou Balaguis; incorporators Cresencia Caigao, Reynaldo Suarez, Victorino Hoyumpa, Rosemarie Quigue, and Cecil Ganotisi; and warehouse employee Roseller Roja.

Villar said Valdez endorsed Spyca to operate a Customs bonded warehouse as per the evaluation of Guiam, despite knowing that the firm is bogus.

Baranda, on the other hand, issued a certification stating that Spyca has no outstanding unliquidated entry.