CEZA: Impounded cars not being smuggled to Mindanao

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Philippines – An official of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) has denied reports that the imported used cars impounded at Port Irene in Santa Ana town were being shipped to Mindanao.

Joyce Marie Jime-Calimag, CEZA public relations chief, said the more than 900 used vehicles from Japan and South Korea are intact and being monitored strictly.

Sources who refused to be identified said some of the cars were hidden inside closed shipping containers.

They claimed the vehicles were hauled to a port in Manila through the Cagayan-Ilocos or Cagayan-Nueva Ecija routes and shipped to Mindanao.

The vehicles include a Honda Fit and Toyota BB subcompacts, a Toyota MR2 Spyder convertible, a Nissan Fairlady Z, Mercedes Benz SL200 sedans, Toyota Alphard and Hi-Ace vans, Toyota Land Cruisers, Mitsubishi Pajeros and Hyundai Starex vans.

“The allegations are nothing but malicious and libelous talk to besmirch the reputation of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport,” Calimag said.

She said there are other government agencies – the Bureau of Customs, Land Transportation Office and Bureau of Internal Revenue – that monitor and supervise the import and export operations at the Cagayan free port.

She said these agencies could be held accountable for any irregularity as their monitoring and supervision start when a shipment arrives at the port until it is turned over to another jurisdiction.

“To allege that commodities are being sneaked out of Port Irene is to accuse the agencies of allowing illegal activities right under their noses,” Calimag said.

Several shipments arrived from December 2013 to February 2014, the last of which included 446 used vehicles.