Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña has issued a new list of Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials authorized to issue alert orders.
Lapeña, in Customs Memorandum Order 29-2017 dated and signed November 27, said that authorized to issue alert orders are the customs commissioner or his authorized representative, the deputy commissioner for Intelligence Group, and all district collectors for shipments arriving within their district.
CMO 29-2017, which took effect immediately, amends CMO 14-2017 and effectively takes away from the deputy commissioner for Enforcement Group the authority to issue alert orders.
Under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, only customs officers duly authorized by the customs commissioner may issue alert orders.
CMO 14-2017 abolished the Command Center, a special unit created by former customs chief Nicanor Faeldon that was tasked to act as a governing body, and returned the authority to issue alerts to authorized BOC officials. All other provisions of this CMO not in conflict or not inconsistent with CMO 29-2017 will remain valid and in effect.
Earlier, Lapeña said stakeholders should no longer be afraid of getting alert orders, as BOC officials have been ordered to handle alerted shipments within 48 hours to facilitate the flow of shipments and prevent corruption.
Customs stakeholders fear receiving alert orders because it takes time to get them lifted, according to the customs chief. To address this worry, Lapeña has instructed customs officials to handle alert orders within 48 hours.
He explained that alert orders are issued based on information indicating an irregularity or discrepancy in a shipment. If the information is verified to be false, then the shipment has to be released. If the information proves true, Lapeña said the shipment will be held and subjected to a 100% physical examination, and if warranted, be issued with a warrant of seizure and detention.
He added that the customs officer who issued the alert order should be responsible for ensuring that the shipment is inspected within 48 hours. The alerting officer should also be responsible for releasing the shipment in case of a false report and for implementing necessary measures for information that proves positive.
He said this is to preempt finger-pointing on who should be responsible for the alerted shipment.
“This time we will make some people responsible when they issue that alert order,” Lapeña added. – Roumina Pablo
Image courtesy of pakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
