Goods tagged as abandoned in the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) electronic-to-mobile (e2m) system but not yet covered by a Decree of Abandonment shall be untagged at no cost, except for the cost of the documentary stamp, and within one day from the submission of complete requirements.
Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, in a memo dated and signed on June 4, said untagging abandoned shipments requires a notarized request with explanation and undertaking from the importer or consignee. The request should state valid reasons provided under Section 3 of Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 24-2015, and stamped with “Not Subject of Hold/Alert Order” from the office of the district collector.
Other requirements include the bill of lading duly endorsed by the shipping lines, and certification by the law division of BOC that the shipment is not the subject of seizure or abandonment.
“Issuance of certification or clearances shall be done in an expeditious manner keeping in mind that the entire process from the submission of complete documents until tagging shall be undertaken within one (1) day,” Guerrero said.
CMO 24-2015–which provides procedures in processing of the importer’s or consignee’s request to extend the period to file entry declaration, continuous processing of entries, untagging of abandonment and other similar requests–lists the following as valid reasons for being unable to file the entry: fraud, accident, mistake, excusable negligence, or force majeure.
Another valid reason is erroneous tagging as abandoned of the particular shipment in the e2m within the period before the shipment is deemed abandoned.
Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (CCBI) president Adones Carmona said the issuance of the rule for untagging abandoned shipments was agreed upon during a meeting with BOC regarding the agency’s implementation of another ruling, the shortened period for lodgement of goods declaration starting June 15.
CCBI had earlier raised customs brokers’ concerns on the new seven-day period for lodgement of goods declaration, and requested conditions for its implementation, such as rules on availing of the provisional goods declaration, as certain processes take time to complete, making compliance with the shortened period difficult. – Roumina Pablo
