00:00Senators clash over the Subic port smuggling fiasco as officials pointed fingers and passed the buck over missing containers of agricultural goods.
00:10The hearing hit a boiling point, ending with a top customs official being cited in contempt after a whirlwind of conflicting testimonies.
00:19Our Luisa Rizpe tells us more.
00:21Officials of the Bureau of Customs and Department of Agriculture kept pointing fingers at each other during the hearing of the Committee on Agriculture on Smuggling of Agricultural Products.
00:34The committee is investigating about three container vans that were smuggled out of Port of Subic even though it contained smuggled agricultural products.
00:43BOC port of Subic Acting Chief of Assessment Juan San Andres said the operation to allow the exit of the vans was coordinated with the Department of Agriculture, Inspectorate, and Enforcement Unit for 100% inspection.
00:58Yung pagkakasabi ko sa kanila is huwag na huwag niyong bipitawan ito na hindi niyo kasama ang DAIE, kailangan kasama ang DAIE, which is the team of Yuse Karang.
01:11And they were there. And now, nagkaroon ng failure dyan, sabi ko sa kanila, ang instruction ni kolektor, pusasan nyo. Wala kayong papalusutin dyan.
01:22And so happened, nung nag-report sa akin si Ms. Gubaton na hindi ma-accommodate yung mga container.
01:32Papano yan, kako? So, naka-unplug yan, masisira yung container.
01:36So, asan na yung mga broker yung nagpa-facilitate?
01:39Sir, bigla pong nawala. Eh, ganun. Kung ganun, ibalik nyo yan sa customs. Ibalik nyo yan.
01:45So, lahat po ng container na hawak nila, nakabalik po, sealed intact upon my instruction, Your Honor.
01:53However, Undersecretary Carlos Karag of the DA denied that he was able to coordinate with customs.
01:59Rather, they were informed late about the operation.
02:02They ordered the drivers of the container vans to return to the port of Subic.
02:06Hindi naman si Mr. San Andres ang nagpabalik.
02:12Nahulay na ng mga tao nga namin sa anggat yan.
02:17So, yung mga tao nyo nandoon, Mr. Chek, would you permission?
02:20Yes, correct.
02:20So, yung mga tao nyo nandoon sa anggat?
02:23Hindi, humabol nga sila.
02:25The trucks had already left at 7pm.
02:28So, sumunod lang sila. Hindi kasama tao namin, sir.
02:31San Andres was cited in contempt after the panel believed that he was lying to the committee.
02:36I move that we cite Mr. San Andres in contempt para mag-nilay-nilay siya doon sa baba
02:42and para magbigyan tayo ng idea, itong smuggling na ito, and this has to stop, Mr. Chek.
02:49On the basis of the motion as well as the explanation of Mr. San Andres,
02:53Together with the clarification of Yuse Carlos Carag, we second the motion.
03:00You are cited in contempt of this committee, Mr. San Andres.
03:04San Andres is the fourth resource person to be cited in contempt by the Committee on Agriculture.
03:09Others were the EPCB Consumer Goods Training, BOC Deputy Collector for Assessment in Subic,
03:15and the Customs Operation Officer in the Port of Subic.
03:18Senator Kiko Panghininan, chairman of the committee, called on the customs to tighten their security
03:23to avoid smugglers, especially on agricultural products.
03:27Senator Irwin Tulfo said they should not only tighten their security measures for the Port of Manila,
03:33but throughout the whole country.
03:35He also called for the reshuffling of BOC personnels.
03:38Mahigpit kayo dito sa POM, mahigpit kayo sa MICP, di ba?
03:42Lagi kayong talagang nakabantay kayo, yung office ninyo, lalo ni office ninyo.
03:47Dapat pati dito sa Subic, sa Batangas, dapat matindi na pagbabantay ninyo.
03:53Ang bantayan mo siguro rin ninyo, ASCOM, itong Subic, ito yung mga nasa provinces,
03:58kasi baka nalulusutan tayo doon.
04:00Siguro yung kung gaano kahirap ang pagbabantay ninyo,
04:04bantayan nyo rin yung ibang ports ninyo, ASCOM, Marunilla.
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