SENATE Minority Floor Leader Franklin M. Drilon has threatened to block the Customs’ bureau’s proposed P3.105-billion budget if an order that has exempted containerized cargo from pre-shipment inspection remains in effect.

“We will oppose the approval of the budget of the Bureau of Customs unless this administrative order is amended – which amendment has been pending for I don’t know how long – in order that we can immediately address the issues of these contraband drugs passing through our customs,” Mr. Drilon said during the interpellation of the agency’s budget on Friday.

Administrative Order No. 243-A entitled “Creating a System for the Bulk Cargo Clearance Enhancement Program of the Bureau of Customs is already in effect but, according to Mr. Drilon, it is limited to bulk cargo and non-containerized shipments.

Although the program has been effective in curbing smuggling and corruption, it should be expanded to containerized cargoes, he said, noting that the recent P6.4 billion shipment of shabu was smuggled through containers.

“If there was no delay and the amended AO was signed, we may not have been confronted with this smuggling of 604 kilos of shabu because it could have been caught immediately at source or country of origin,” Mr. Drilon said.

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee is currently investigating the 604 kilos of shabu which was able to pass through Customs in May. It has also been conducting a probe on the tara system or systematic corruption at the BoC.

Senator Loren B. Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance has asked the BoC to provide on Monday, Oct. 9, a copy of the AO amendment for further study.

The Committee on Finance hopes to conclude the interpellations on the 2018 General Appropriations Bill by Oct. 11. — Mario M. Banzon

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