Cebu broker, 3 others charged for using fake papers in steel importation

A Cebu customs broker and three others were accused of filing fraudulent import documents for a shipment of steel products from China.

The complaints were filed yesterday by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) with the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Junnil Andujar Rollon of Upper Laguerta, Busay, Cebu City and Renato Supan Miranda, owner of Echo Titan Marketing Resources in San Mateo, Rizal province were accused of unlawful importation.

“The country imports a significant amount of steel products and there is strong demand for these. But we cannot be lax and allow uncertified steel products to enter the local market,” said Customs Commissioner John Sevilla in a statement.

“Part of our mandate is to protect our people from cheap but unsafe products.”

The products were allegedly misdeclared as “steel round bars” from China.

Upon inspection, the shipment that arrived last April 26 at the Port of Manila, was found to contain steel products of various sizes, including stainless steel flat bars, stainless steel angle bars, and stainless steel round bars in 40-foot and 20-foot container vans.

Import documents also showed a gross misdeclaration of the weight and value of the goods to evade payment of correct duties and taxes.

The quantity of the products was misdeclared by as much as 33 percent.

What was declared was 35,010 kilos for both containers with a declared value of P1.235 million and total duties and taxes of P248,122.92.

Upon inspection, the actual weight of the products was 52,100 kilos or a discrepancy of 17,090 kilos. With the discovery, actual value was pegged at P5.577 million and total duties and taxes amounting to P1.113 million.

The two respondents face charges for violating the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines for unlawful importation and fraudulent filing of import documents.

They are also facing charges for violation of the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) law and the Revised Penal Code for falsification of documents.

Rollon, a licensed customs broker, faces additional charges for misdeclaration of the weight and value of the shipments .

The BOC filed the same charges against Tessie Ligon, owner of Archer Blaze Marketing in Bulacan and their customs broker, Aloha Pamintuan.

BOC investigators said Archer Blaze submitted fake documents to facilitate the firm’s importation of 47 20-foot container vans of angle bars from China with a total value of P38.741 million.

Attached to the permits was a fake letter supposedly from DTI-BPS addressed to the Port of Manila District Collector attesting to the authenticity of the Conditional Releases issued.

The shipments arrived through the Port of Manila in four batches last June 10 and 14, 2014.

The whereabouts of the four still have to be traced, said Charo Logarta, information officer of BOC. She said their firms are still operating. BOC still has to check if they submitted requirements for re-accreditation.