Solon flags BoC accreditation unit ‘corruption’

A senator has called for a sweeping cleanup of the Bureau of Customs (BoC), citing alleged deep-rooted corruption within the agency’s Accreditation Unit.

During a Senate Committee on Agriculture hearing Monday, Senator Raffy Tulfo claimed that some personnel in the unit are engaged in a bribery scheme, accepting payments of approximately P100,000 to approve fake or unqualified customs brokers.

Many of these brokers, he said, are linked to agricultural smuggling.

“It’s about time you clean up the Accreditation Unit of the Bureau of Customs. That unit is riddled with corruption,” Tulfo said.

According to Tulfo, the scheme allows agricultural smugglers to bypass regulatory oversight by having dummy brokers accredited using false identities, including those of drivers, warehouse helpers and domestic workers.

“Many smugglers get away with it because most of the brokers getting accredited are just giving P100K,” he said. “They’re using dummies, sometimes even listing their driver, warehouseman, or house helper as the broker.”

He also said some accredited brokerages submit fake addresses, citing instances where a supposed company office was located under an acacia tree or other nonexistent sites.

Newly appointed Customs commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, who was present at the hearing, assured Tulfo and the Senate panel that the bureau would investigate the allegations thoroughly.

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

Tulfo proposed reforms to the broker accreditation process, including a mandatory in-person 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.