FedEx exec in hot water

An official of the FedEx Airfreight Service has a lot of explaining to do with regard to the alleged reshipment of 15 freight of imported cellphones when he faces officials of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group Task Force Subic today.

PASG Undersecretary Antonio “Bebot” A. Villar, Jr. ordered PASG-TFS Acting Deputy Director Benny Y. Kho to get the side of Sam Bautista, FedEx Clearance Operations Manager, on the reshipment of the ``hot” cellphones.

The shipment, consigned to Noel Moog of Pilar, Bataan, arrived from Hong Kong last week but were held by Customs and PASG-TFS authorities due to absence of legal documents.

“The shipment was authorized by Mr. Bautista for reshipment in clear violation of the existing rules and regulations. He did not properly coordinate with or notify the concerned officials of Customs and PASG-TFS. He did not clear the matter with us. As to why Mr. Bautista chose to ignore these rules is still a mystery,” Kho said.

The shipment was declared as communications equipment but Kho said the cargo has no permit from the National Telecommunications Commission.