We shouldn't jump to conclusions, of course, and suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. But one would have to be pretty naïve if he were to characterize that seizure of seven 40-foot container vans by the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Task Force Aduana at Dinalupihan, Bataan as an "isolated" case.
The allegedly smuggled shipments, consisting of polyester yarn from China and data communication cables worth about P100 million, had been escorted out of the Subic Bay Freeport by a red Honda CRV which fled the scene of the apprehension and is still missing. The Task Force reports that the broker of the shipments, Eagle Bay Maritime Services, Inc., has been involved in previous alleged smuggling incidents.
I am certain that Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chair Tong Payumo is not aware of those shenanigans going on under his nose. And the reason I'm sure of it is that it makes no sense for him to go around the world touting the Subic Bay Freeport as a world-class facility, while his port officials conduct themselves like caricatures of voracious, third-world customs officials. Despite what his non-believers say about him, I credit Tong with considerably more ability and integrity than that.
Still, Lt. Gen. Jose Calimlim, Task Force Aduana chief, is quoted as saying that Subic has now attained the dubious distinction of being the point of concentration of smuggling activities. That is a terrible indictment which Payumo should waste no time disproving. The fact is, these rumors have been going on for the longest time, with stories of everything from cars, sugar and assorted consumer goods, entering the country untaxed through Subic.
Gen. Calimlim should look into the persistent impression that the problem allegedly starts with SBMA officials put in charge of port operations. We should not generalize because I know there are many honest and dedicated career officials serving the Subic port. But there are apparently relative newcomers who have not only concentrated on getting their piece of the "action," they have actually monopolized all of the "action," if you get my drift. Some are pretty prominent in provincial politics, either directly or by affinity, and strut around the Freeport as if they own it. But, hey, if Gen. Calimlim's intelligence reports are correct, maybe they do own it by now!
The smuggling we're talking about here, as the Task Force's apprehension seems to indicate, is not small-time. It ain't peanuts, as they say. It is, it's always been, big-time. By some unofficial estimates, the smuggling might even make the action at the Port of Manila look like strictly amateur stuff. The reason, some usiseros insist, is that people always look at Manila and only rarely at places like Subic.
It's time to stop arguing about whether the alleged smuggling activities in Subic are just the result of press releases or empty beer-house gossiping by Payumo's sworn enemies. What Tong Payumo should do is implement an all-out war against smugglers. He should go after the masterminds and principal sponsors, whoever they are and no matter how highly-placed or closely-connected they turn out to be. He shouldn't wait for Calimlim's boys to bag a few more culprits. Everytime this happens, the Subic Bay Freeport is tarnished some more.
This is a matter of the highest priority for the SBMA chairman. People are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. They remain confident he can turn the situation around and remove this unseemly stain on Subic's reputation. Speaking as one who has come to love Subic Bay and does not want to see it go down the toilet, I hope he delivers. At the end of the day, this buck stops with him.
Ricardo V. Puno Jr.'s e-mail address: rvpuno@yahoo.com