Tag Archives: smuggling

corruption, SCAMS & SCANDALS

SENATE REPORT TAGS CUSTOMS CHIEF, OTHER GOV’T EXECS AS ‘AGRI SMUGGLERS’

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Bureau of Customs Chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero is in the list of alleged “agricultural smugglers or protectors”  along wirh other customs and agriculture officials, as well as several local government officials and private individuals.

Also In the list were Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director George Culaste, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Eduardo Gongona, among others.

 Outgoing Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar said on Monday that the agriculture officials were tagged in the Senate report as “agricultural smugglers or protectors.”

Corruption can’t be stopped, only minimized: Duterte

With only three days left before he steps down from office, outgoing President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday said corruption cannot be stopped.“Corruption is endemic. It cannot be stopped but it can be minimized,” Duterte said in a speech during the oath-taking of local officials… Read More

corruption, SCAMS & SCANDALS

SC affirms dismissal of P5.9-B smuggling case vs. Davao City businessman Dennis Uy

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The Supreme Court (SC) upheld rulings by the Court of Appeals and the Davao Regional Trial Court (RTC) dismissing criminal cases against businessman Dennis Uy and a customs broker.

Uy, then the president and chief executive officer of Phoenix Petroleum, and Jorlan Cabanes, were charged with the alleged smuggling of PHP5.9 billion worth of petroleum products in 2010 and 2011, initiated by Senator Leila de Lima who was Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary at the time.

“In sum, the lower courts’ finding of no probable cause are supported by relevant laws and evidence on record. Mindful of these considerations, the Court of Appeals’ affirmation of the dismissal of the charges is not tainted with grave abuse of discretion,” read the SC decision posted on its website on December 11.

SC affirms dismissal of P5.9-B smuggling cases vs Dennis Uy of Phoenix Petroleum – Manila Bulletin

“When probable cause is judicially determined by the trial court, questions on the propriety of the executive determination of probable cause becomes moot. At that point, questions on the accused’s guilt or innocence rests on the trial court’s sound discretion,” it said.

In 2011, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) charged Uy and Cabanes with violations of the Tariff and Customs Code.

The BOC alleged that Phoenix imported petroleum products with dutiable value of PHP5.9 billion reportedly without import entries and withdrew the importations despite failure to file import entries and without load port surveys in the ports of Batangas City and Davao City. READ MORE