No record of balikbayan boxes being used for smuggling – Marcos

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr said there is no basis on record that the balikbayan boxes sent by overseas Filipino workers are being used for smuggling arms and illegal drugs, as Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina claimed

In a Senate hearing Thursday, September 3, on a Bureau of Customs ruling on balikbayan boxes, BOC Commissioner Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Jessie Dellosa said there was no case on record and proof that firearms and drugs smuggling were done through balikbayan boxes in 2014.

Lina is underfire from OFWs and their families for his “reminder” that the customs bureau can arbitrarily open balikbayan boxes upon suspicion they have illegal content.

The stricter measures on inspecting balikbayan boxes and taxing the items sent through them are meant to curb the entry of illegal drugs in the country, the President said.

Aquino also earlier said that he had received reports of ammunition, firearms, and dismantled motorcycle parts being illegally shipped into the country using balikbayan boxes. (WATCH: Rappler Talk: Why the Bureau of customs opens your #BalikbayanBox)

The public outcry, however, prompted President Benigno Aquino III to order a stop to physical inspections of balikbayan boxes. The boxes will now just go through X-ray, and only those that appear to have suspicious content, based on the X-ray inspection, will be opened.

Issue a public apology

“Everything was done arbitrarily, abruptly, and aggressively without public consultations leading to all kinds of insinuations landing at the innocent OFW’s doorstep,” Marcos said.

The senator added that Lina also admitted the random checks on balikbayan boxes was his brainchild, brought on by loose and unverified reports of smuggling done through balikbayan boxes.

“This is being unkind to the people that are keeping our economy alive,” he told Lina during the hearing on the issue of random inspection of balikbayan boxes by the BOC conducted by the Senate committee on ways and means.

Marcos said he was happy that BOC revised its rules and regulations on the physical inspection of balikbayan boxes, which Customs memorandum order was released September 2. (READ: Customs releases revised rules, regulations on balikbayan boxes)

Marcos also chided BOC officials for making unfounded statements about OFWs regarding misuse of and smuggling via balikbayan boxes, as he urged Lina to issue a public apology to them.

And Lina did apologize.

“I’m glad that he showed sufficient humility in accepting the significant lapses of the BOC by apologizing to our OFWs during this morning’s public hearing. However, it must still be made of public record that in so far as the Intelligence Unit of the BOC is concerned, smuggling of drugs and firearms through balikbayan boxes is virtually non-existent,” Marcos said.

Marcos also drew an admission from Lina that no consultations were made with the OFW sector, nor with government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas that traditionally deal with Filipinos overseas.

Apology not enough

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said Lina’s apology was not enough but acknowledged the commissioner’s humility.

He added the public hearing also resulted in BOC’s resolution to put up complaint desks for OFWs concerns on their balikbayan boxes.

BOC is also mulling over the increase on the ceiling of tax- and duty-free items and goods from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the present P10,000 ($213.60) to P50,000 ($1068.01). Angara earlier proposed an increase to  P150,000 ($3,204.02).

Additional charge

In a separate stament, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said that Customs has imposed an additional charge on a container of balikbayan boxes.

It has been confirmed that the amount of duties and taxes on a shipping container has been increased from P80,000 ($1,708.37) to P120,000 ($2,562.56). As the increase will eventually be shouldered by OFWs who send the boxes, the pass-on cost is P100 ($2.14) per box based on the usual load of 400 balikbayan boxes per 40-foot container.

It has also been confirmed during the hearing that the Customs is planning to further raise the duties and taxes on a container of balikbayan boxes to P180,000 ($3,844.79) this October.

“Again, this will be passed on to senders of these boxes.  If this second round of increases will materialize, the additional charge per box will be P150 ($3.20),” Recto said.

He added that the increases will force OFWs to pay an additional P250 ($534) per box, which might be felt by those sending balikbayan boxes for Christmas.

“The above information was confirmed by the freight forwarders present. As consolidators, these are the parties who actually pay the duties and taxes to the Customs,” Recto said. They also confirmed that they are now paying the new rates, which in turn, will be passed on to the balikbayan box senders.

“The scenario of a second round of increase next month was never disputed by any BOC officials present during the hearing,” Recto said. – Rappler.com

US$1 = P46.82