Senator Raffy Tulfo has called for a sweeping cleanup of the Bureau of Customs (BoC), zeroing in on alleged deep-rooted corruption within the agency’s Accreditation Unit.

Speaking during a Senate Committee on Agriculture hearing on Monday, Tulfo claimed that certain personnel within the unit are engaged in a bribery scheme, accepting under-the-table payments of approximately P100,000 to approve fake or unqualified customs brokers with many of whom are linked to agricultural smuggling.

“It’s about time you clean up the Accreditation Unit of the Bureau of Customs. Napaka-corrupt ng mga ‘yan! (That unit is riddled with corruption!)” Tulfo declared.

According to Tulfo, this long-running scheme allows agricultural smugglers to bypass regulatory oversight by having dummy brokers accredited using false identities, ranging from drivers and warehouse helpers to even domestic workers.

“Kaya maraming nakakalusot na smuggler ng agricultural products dahil karamihan ng brokers na nagpapa-accredit sa Customs ay nagbibigay lang ng P100K  (Many smugglers get away with it because most of the brokers getting accredited are just giving P100K),” he lamented. 

“Tapos ang gagamitin nila, mga taong dummy, minsan pangalan ng drayber, bodegero o kasamabahay nila (They’re using dummies, sometimes even listing their driver, warehouseman, or house helper as the broker),” Tulfo further explained.

He also revealed that some accredited brokerages submit blatantly fake addresses, citing instances where a supposed company office turned out to be located under an Acacia tree or other nonsensical sites.

Newly appointed Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, who was present at the hearing, assured Tulfo and the Senate panel that the BoC will investigate the allegations thoroughly. 

He committed to initiating reforms and taking “necessary measures” to eliminate corrupt practices within the agency.

In response, Tulfo proposed reforms to the broker accreditation process, including a mandatory face-to-face application system. 

The senator urged the agency to require proper documentation, such as proof of capital and valid licenses, to ensure that only legitimate brokers are granted accreditation.