The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) has tagged officials of the Bureau of Customs (BoC), and some prosecutors in a jewellery smuggling operation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) believed to have helped fund terrorists and insurgents.
PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica said the commission had submitted its report and recommendation to President Rodrigo Duterte regarding the erring officials, including resigned Justice assistant secretary Moslemen Macarambon Sr.
Macarambon was earlier asked by Duterte to resign from his post because of his alleged involvement in illegal activities.
Apart from Macarambon, the PACC has recommended the filing of an administrative complaint and summary dismissal proceedings against customs operations officer Lomotod Macabando, after he was apprehended on May 5 for smuggling 1.9 kilos of assorted gold jewellery worth P6bn at the NAIA Terminal 3.
Macabando was spotted at the NAIA Terminal 3 allegedly assisting the couple Abraham Mimbalawang and Bang-sa Mimbalawang, members of one of the eight jewellery smuggling syndicates supposedly operating at the NAIA.
Belgica, in a news conference on Thursday, presented to the media a closed-circuit television footage showing Macabando accepting a black bag from a male individual at the baggage carousel area of the NAIA terminal 3, which was later found to contain assorted gold jewellery.
The PACC also recommended preventive suspension, pending investigation, for Ramon Anquilan, district customs collector of NAIA; Elizabeth Pableo, officer in charge (OIC) of the NAIA arrival division; lawyer Marlon Agaceta, chief of the customs legal division at Naia; Benjamin Lanto, OIC of the Pasay City prosecutor’s office; Clemente Villanueva, inquest prosecutor; and Florencio de la Cruz, assistant city prosecutor.
President Duterte on Wednesday revealed that these officials have been suspended and placed under investigation.
“They have cases before the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission. But I prefer the Ombudsman so they can’t say anything against it,” he said in comments to  reporters.
The commission required Adsar Albani and Butch Ledesma, both from the NAIA Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, to show cause why their names should not be included in case.
The PACC started its investigation on the “Customs Sundo” scheme after the commission received a report about a smuggling incident in December 2017 involving the Mimbalawang couple, who were found carrying assorted jewellery amounting to P15.1mn.
The couple was supposed to pay P6.9mn in taxes and duties but because of the alleged intervention of Macarambon, the amount was reduced to P1.3mn. This was allegedly done upon the approval 
of Anquilan.
Belgica said similar incidents happened in January and February wherein customs and airport officials intervened and even escorted the Mimbalawang couple to avoid inspection.
He noted that there were apprehensions made in the past but the suspects were able to avoid prosecution because of their connections to the Pasay Prosecutor’s Office.
“These smuggling syndicates have connection from the airport up to the prosecutor’s office that is why they were able to continue their operations,” Belgica said.
The Mimbalawangs were said to have been operating since 2014 and have traveled 133 times, meaning they could have smuggled billions of pesos worth of jewellery into the country.
With eight syndicates operating in the airport, the PACC estimates that about P10bn have been raised from their illegal activities with the help of corrupt officials.
“These smuggling activities could be part of fund-raising efforts possibly to fund terrorists and insurgents in the country,” Belgica disclosed.


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