MANILA, Philippines — Accreditation unit personnel in the Bureau of Customs (BOC) received around P100,000 in under-the-table payments in exchange for approving bogus broker applications, according to Sen. Raffy Tulfo.
At yesterday’s Senate agriculture panel hearing, Tulfo said smugglers of agricultural products managed to evade authorities by paying P100,000 through dummies named after their drivers, warehouse personnel or household helpers.
Some accredited brokerages listed fake company addresses, which are sometimes as absurd as the base of an Acacia tree or a random location, he noted.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno has assured Tulfo that he will look into these practices and weed out corrupt BOC personnel.
The BOC’s accreditation unit screens brokers handling the country’s agricultural imports and exports.
Tulfo recommended a face-to-face application system for brokers, requiring them to present documents such as proof of sufficient capital and valid licenses to ensure they are qualified.