The myth that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Run After The Smugglers
(RATS) could not secure a single conviction from all the cases filed
against all its accused before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has been
broken, when a trader who misdeclared his vehicle shipment as
replacement parts was convicted by the said court on December 12, 2012.
Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon announced
recently that the RATS group through the efficient handling/prosecution
by the Legal Service Lawyers has successfully secured the conviction of
Roel Paquit Sayson, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of
Violation of Section 3601, in relation to Section 2530, paragraphs f, l
(3), (4) and (5) of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.
Last February 7, 2008, Sayson was found with evident intent to
defraud the Philippine government of legitimate duties accruing to it
from merchandise imported into this country from Korea, on board the
vessel S/S Maas Trader, to wit: 1.) declared Used Truck Replacement
Parts – Bills of lading Nos.0058000965 and 0058000969 (both found to
contain each 6 units of Kia Sportage) and, 2.) declared Used Truck
Replacement Parts in Bill of Lading No.0058000970 (found to contain 3
units of Hyundai Galloper).
These were found to have been prohibited importation under Section 3
of Executive Order No. 156 and relevant customs laws, rules and
regulations.
Estimated taxes and duties of the above-mentioned items amounted to
One Million Seven Hundred Seventy Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Seventy
Pesos and Sixty One Centavos (Php1,779,770.61).
The accused was meted a penalty of not less than eight years and one
day, to twelve years imprisonment, and to pay a fine in the amount of
eight thousand pesos (Php 8,000.00)
According to Biazon this sends a strong signal that the BOC is
focused, with unrelenting unwavering campaign against Customs violators
and other potential tax cheats and that violators of Customs laws, Rules
and Regulations shall be dealt with strictly in accordance with the
strong arms of the law.
Confident that this indeed bears a positive indication for smugglers
to think twice before similar inadvertent acts are committed, Deputy
Commissioner Atty. Peter M. Manzano, RCMG and Concurrent Chief RATS
Group, accepted the challenge for a more vigilant pursuit of violators
of the Tariff and Customs Laws.
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