Panel formed to probe fuel smuggling in Subic

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has formed a special committee tasked to prevent any form of smuggling in this premier Freeport in the wake of President Arroyo’s directive in connection with some 51 million liters of unaccounted fuel.

The President ordered recently the anti-smuggling agencies to go after smuggling syndicates behind the case of unaccounted fuel which was reportedly smuggled out of the Subic Freeport.
SBMA Administrator Armand C. Arreza said the committee will be coordinating with the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in the investigation of the transactions by all oil trading companies based in the Freeport.

A comprehensive investigation report is expected to be submitted within this month.
The committee is headed by SBMA Deputy Administrator for Regulatory Group Jocelyn Alvarado as chairman, with SBMA DA for Administration and OIC for Port Operations Ferdinand Hernandez, SBMA Intelligence and Investigation Office (IIO) chief Col. Eric Palabrica, and anti-smuggling Task Force Subic member Col. Roberto Estrada as members.

"The SBMA does not and will not allow corrupt businessmen to make the Subic Freeport as the staging point for illegal business transactions," Arreza said.He noted that since the creation of Task Force Subic headed by anti-smuggling czar Jose Calimlim, SBMA has foiled many smuggling attempts and prevented the government from losing billions of pesos.

"We are strictly enforcing the law in dealing with those who are engaged in, or even before they could start, their smuggling activities here in the Subic Freeport. We are trying to eliminate the impression that the Subic Freeport is a smugglers’ haven," Calimlim said.

Meanwhile, Port of Subic Customs Collector Marietta Zamoranos clarified that the 14 luxury cars which were reportedly smuggled out last week were among 16 cars that were recovered by the SBMA and Subic BoC in December 2006.

"I was surprised when it was flashed in a TV newscast. Those were part of the original 16 luxury vehicles which we seized last December," Zamoranos said. She said that the BoC issued a decree of forfeiture for the seizure of the 14 vehicles on June 15, 2007 in favor of the government. Auction for these vehicles is being scheduled, and the government is expected to collect some R50 million, she also said.

However, it was learned, that two other vehicles were cleared after an evaluation.
"The BoC is doing its best, with the help of the SBMA, to eradicate smuggling in the Port of Subic, and we are issuing a stern warning to businessmen who think that they could manipulate the law. They will always fail," Zamoranos said.

By JONAS REYES