THE PHILIPPINE Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently created the Motor Vehicle Monitoring and Clearance Office (MVMCO) to certify all imported motor vehicles.
The move comes after the recent discovery of luxury cars smuggled from the US then shipped into parts using balikbayan (personal effects) boxes by Mindanao-based businessman Lynard Alan Bigcas.
“Imported vehicles would no longer be released from customs zones unless these were covered by a Clearance of No Derogatory Information (CONDI) issued by the newly created Motor Vehicle Monitoring and Clearance Office under the office of the Enforcement and Security Service,” Customs commissioner Angelito Alvarez said.
Previously, an importer’s payment of the final tax assessment was enough for shipment release.
“The new requirement applies to all imported motor vehicles, including motorcycles and motor scooters that are either personally owned or brought in for personal use under the No-Dollar Importation Program; imported by tax-exempt persons or entities under various laws and subsequently sold to non-tax exempt persons or entities; and, those that are pre-owned, regardless of whether they are declared under consumption or warehousing entries,” Alvarez said.
“Aside from protecting the revenue interest of the government, the creation of the MVMCO will also pave the way for the removal of the Philippines from the list of countries being used as dumping ground for motor vehicles stolen by international crime syndicates.”
Also covered by the new regulation are used imported parts and components declared as replacement parts or intended for use by local assemblers and vehicle rebuilding-business.
MVMCO can recommend the issuance of alert/hold orders against imported vehicles with derogatory information; witness the conduct of spot check/examination of motor vehicles on hold or under alert status; conduct surveillance, seizure and apprehension of imported vehicles illegally released from Customs and those that were either found with deficiency in payments or sold/transferred to non-tax exempt persons without payment of duties and taxes; and maintain a database of all motor vehicle importations processed by the BOC.
MVMCO will also coordinate with international police and other intelligence groups to facilitate exchange of information on the movement of stolen motor vehicles.
MVMCO is overseen by Customs Director for Enforcement and Security Service Nestorio Gualberto and Deputy Commissioner Horacio Suansing of the Enforcement and Security Service.
