Customs wants joint audit in Subic
By Joel E. Zurbano - Manila Standard Today
A TEAM from the Customs Intelligence and Enforcement Group will visit the Subic Bay Freeport to do an inventory of the luxury cars that have been seized for violating tariff and customs law.
Deputy Commissioner Celso Templo said he will also ask officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to conduct a joint audit of all the motor vehicles that are coming in and out of the former United States naval base.
Templo said he will check on the status of the two Lamborghini Gallardo, BMW M5, Porshe 911 and GMC Yukon Dinali that were seized last February.
The cars were supposed to have been destroyed along with other seized vehicles last month, but the authorities postponed the destruction because they had not legally established ownership of the luxury cars.
Neither the Customs bureau nor the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group could say where the cars are located, but sources at the Subic Bay Freeport said although the cars were at the Kalayaan holding center inside the free port, they could be seen being driven around in Olongapo City.
But Templo explained that such motor vehicles are allowed to go out of the free port for maintenance checks or test-driving for three days to one week, but they have to returned to the facility.
The free port is also issuing green and blue plates and permits for the vehicles to be allowed to leave and return to the facility.
“We will ask them for a joint audit of all the vehicles that are coming in and out of the free port to be able to have an accurate number of these vehicles and to curb smuggling,” he said.
Aside from two agencies, Templo said they are also planning to include the Land Transportation Office in the joint audit activity.
Last month, the agency destroyed 18 smuggled luxury vehicles, worth P30 million, inside the free port. Fourteen more luxury vehicles are awaiting court decision on whether they will be turned-over to the government or given back to their importers.
Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales ordered Templo to submit his final report on the matter today.
A TEAM from the Customs Intelligence and Enforcement Group will visit the Subic Bay Freeport to do an inventory of the luxury cars that have been seized for violating tariff and customs law.
Deputy Commissioner Celso Templo said he will also ask officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to conduct a joint audit of all the motor vehicles that are coming in and out of the former United States naval base.
Templo said he will check on the status of the two Lamborghini Gallardo, BMW M5, Porshe 911 and GMC Yukon Dinali that were seized last February.
The cars were supposed to have been destroyed along with other seized vehicles last month, but the authorities postponed the destruction because they had not legally established ownership of the luxury cars.
Neither the Customs bureau nor the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group could say where the cars are located, but sources at the Subic Bay Freeport said although the cars were at the Kalayaan holding center inside the free port, they could be seen being driven around in Olongapo City.
But Templo explained that such motor vehicles are allowed to go out of the free port for maintenance checks or test-driving for three days to one week, but they have to returned to the facility.
The free port is also issuing green and blue plates and permits for the vehicles to be allowed to leave and return to the facility.
“We will ask them for a joint audit of all the vehicles that are coming in and out of the free port to be able to have an accurate number of these vehicles and to curb smuggling,” he said.
Aside from two agencies, Templo said they are also planning to include the Land Transportation Office in the joint audit activity.
Last month, the agency destroyed 18 smuggled luxury vehicles, worth P30 million, inside the free port. Fourteen more luxury vehicles are awaiting court decision on whether they will be turned-over to the government or given back to their importers.
Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales ordered Templo to submit his final report on the matter today.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
6:35 AM
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