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THIS is
how the vaunted government antismuggling effort is being
conducted—with sacred cows—as witnessed when the Bureau
of Customs (BOC) was almost in disarray after “Big Mama”
arrived in a huff and demanded immediate release of
computer accessories shipped from
Hong Kong.
According to witnesses, she allegedly laced her demand
with threats and physical violence against Customs agent
Bernie Evangelista that stunned other customs personnel
after she was asked for the proper documents.
Castillo, called in some quarters as “Big Mama,” was
reportedly asking Evangelista at the bureau’s legal
office and Omar Tomas of the Run After the Smugglers
(RATS) why the cargo van was being held.
Sources
who declined to be named said the RATS agents then asked
Castillo to produce a clearance from the National
Telecommunications Commission (NTC), but Castillo flared
up and shouted invectives and death threats at the
agents.
“Ipapapatay
ko kayo. Kayanin nyo ang kaya nyo [I will have you
killed. Take on only those you can take on],” Castillo
was quoted by witnesses.
Any
importation of computer-related materials, parts or
accessories must have a clearance from the NTC before
they are released; otherwise releasing them without the
clearance would be a violation of the telecommunications
law.
The
source said the 40-footer van contains 96 packages of
computer parts and entered the Manila International
Container Port on October 8.
“The
value of the goods had not been yet determined as no one
opened it for any inspection,” added the source.
The van
was consigned to a certain G.B. Hernandez Customs
Brokerage, with office address at the
Laiko Building,
Cabildo Street, Intramuros, Manila.
Castillo
was not the consignee of the goods and was not even an
accredited customs broker. “She has no authority to
transact for the imported goods because she was not the
consignee,” said the source.
As
Castillo continued her tantrum, the RATS agents called
up the nearby station of the Manila Police Department on
Luneta Park.
When
Castillo learned that police had been summoned, she
called the office of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita
and was heard asking to send Presidential Security Group
men to the
Manila port.
Then she
called Customs commissioner Napoleon Morales, deputy
commissioner Gregorio Chavez, and Enforcement Security
Service director Nestorio Gualberto.
Gualberto was in his office at that time and sent his
security operations chief Isabelo Tibayan, who when he
arrived also shouted at the RATS agents, who were trying
to block Castillo from getting out of the legal office.
Other
people from the office of Morales headed by Carlo
Bautista, Alvin Enciso, and Egay Quinones also arrived
to support Castillo. Tibayan and the boys of Morales
then escorted her out of the legal office and out of the
reach of the RATS agents.
Agent
Michael Vito Cruz said they had stopped Castillo from
leaving because they intend to charge her with direct
assault on agents of persons in authority and grave
threats and they want the police to be able to question
her right there in Customs.
But
Tibayan grabbed Castillo and brought her to the ESS
office where Gualberto was waiting. Gualberto then asked
the police investigators to enter his office, closed the
door, and afterwards the police were seen leaving.
The
sources said Gualberto received calls from Morales and
his deputy commissioners, particularly from Chavez.
The
container van she was demanding was released at the very
moment Castillo was escorted out of Gualberto’s office. |
