The face of Corruption at the Bureau of Customs

I was driving along Edsa last night and was catching GMA 7’s six o’clock news on the teevee monitor installed in my car. I wouldn’t normally watch teevee or video in the car, especially since driving and watching teevee or video aren’t actually like watching teevee and running on a treadmill. Driving in Manila makes it even worse. But it does sometimes provide a balming effect especially when you’re caught in monstrous Manila traffic.

Mike Enriquez was reporting on the new Marina chief. “What else is new?” I thought, giving way to a red Toyota car who I suppose was suddenly forced to cut through my lane because a blue motorcycle with no side mirrors suddenly sped through his car. Then, a reporter announced:

“Pinuslit na petrolyo na nagkakahalaga ng 150 million ay nasagap ng nagsanib na pwersa ng NBI at Bureau of Customs. Narito ang ating panayam kay _____, ang hepe ng _______ opisina ng Bureau of Customs.”

That caught my attention. “Lemme watch this,” I told myself.

A familiar face appeared at the monitor. “Ito po ay isa na namang katuparan ng ating kampanya laban sa smuggling!” he declared.

That shook me, my right foot at an instant flooring the accelerator and my left foot immediately catching the breaks. I almost hit the rear of the red Toyota car up front.

“The gall of that s___ of a ___!” I muttered at the monitor.

I knew the man. As an importer, I’ve been his victim on countless occasions. He’s the chief of an important department at the Bureau of Customs and he uses his position not only to illegally enrich himself but also to harass importers and Customs brokers. He’s not anti-smuggling, he’s in fact in cahoots with the smugglers. He lives in a mansion, owns at least six luxury cars and travels with his mistresses in a private jet. He’s diabetic, I know of that, and his subordinates have always been puzzled on how he handles orgies with the different professional whores hiding behind the titles “actresses” and "starlets" which he has the habit of demanding as gifts from importers and brokers.

He’s one of the most calloused at the BOC in demanding grease money – or oil money if you prefer, or in this case, petroleum money. People at the BOC call it tara. And if he’s not satisfied with the amount given him, he seizes the cargo, declares it smuggled, poses before the camera, bribes the reporters, deodorizes his name through the media, and demands more money from the owner of the cargo for settlement.

Did the reporter say 150 million? Well, since the cargo has already been seized, the owner of the cargo will have no choice but to settle with Chief and his minions. Consider at least 15% of that amount going to their pockets.

If you want to know what corruption is, this Chief is the man, corruption personified himself.

Still wondering why our country is in the pits?