Police are finalizing the case build-up against those involved in the alleged smuggling of ₱1.1 billion worth of cigarettes seized in Batangas City in late December last year.
According to the Philippine National Police–Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), the goal is to establish a solid case against those responsible, in line with the national government’s aggressive anti-smuggling campaign.
So far, PNP-HPG spokesman Lt. Nadame Malang said they are completing more documents needed for the filing of airtight cases.
“We are still waiting for other documents from other agencies,” said Malang.
One of the cases expected to be filed is violation of the Republic Act 12022, or the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act, which was passed to eliminate hoarding, profiteering, and cartel that unduly restrain supply and manipulate prices.
And among those who are expected to be charged are a female personnel of the Bureau of Customs assigned at the Batangas Port and her husband who owns the trucks that yielded 14 container vans of the confiscated cigarettes.
It was PNP-HPG director Brig. Gen. Hansel Marantan, who earlier disclosed the involvement of a BOC personnel after the investigation, revealed that her husband owns a trucking service company that is possibly involved in the smuggling of the confiscated cigarettes.
The container vans containing the cigarettes were discovered when PNP-HPG operatives were tracking a stolen vehicle. The cigarettes were found in a compound in Balete, Batangas City on Dec 31.
Earlier, BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno sacked the chief of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) at the Port of Manila (POM) after his name, along with the head of the BOC-CIIS, was mentioned in a letter of complaint sent to President Marcos by Customs officials, employees and stakeholders in December 11 last year.
The letter also mentioned a customs broker, who was earlier identified in a Senate report as a major agricultural smuggler operating in the Port of Subic, Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila, Port of Batangas, and Port of Cebu. (Aaron Recuenco)
