NBI to get shipment papers in Singapore

CEBU CITY — The probe on the disappearance of two container vans, out of the 10 seized by the Bureau of Customs, at the Cebu International Port last Sept. 7, may extend to Singapore.

This, after Customs broker Lucia Caburnay told the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) the other day that her name was used without her authority in the documents filed with the Customs for the shipment of the vans from Singapore, further claiming that her signature was forged.

To resolve this, the NBI said there is now a need to get the original documents from the shipping firm in Singapore.

Amador Astubillo, an official of Mercury Steam Shipping, told the NBI that the original copy of the bill of lading and contract of purchase from Pacific Eagle Lines is already in its Singapore office.

Pacific Eagle was the firm that shipped the container vans from Singapore to Cebu. Mercury Steam, its sub-agent here in the country, admitted that the documents came from Pacific Eagle.

NBI regional director Reynaldo Esmeralda said the NBI might be sending somebody to Singapore to obtain the original documents, one of which was the contract of purchase that indicated the owner of the cargo and its point of origin.

Esmeralda said it is important to get the original documents and see the true owner of the bill of lading, which under the Customs Code, is also the owner of the cargo.

Latest NBI findings showed that the container vans could have come from Vietnam, considering that Singapore is not a rice-producing country.

The disappearance of the two container vans from Customs custody, was linked to the July 24 slaying of Customs collector Eduardo Lao and examiner Bennet Soreño. — Freeman News Service