The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is conducting a full audit of all its accredited condemnation facilities in the Philippines, the agency said in a statement yesterday.
The bureau’s seized goods are disposed in the said facilities.
“Ensuring the integrity and compliance of our accredited condemnation facilities is crucial in maintaining transparency and accountability of our operations,” customs deputy commissioner Vener Baquiran said.
Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 07-2023, which amended CMO No. 24-2021, requires that all applications for accreditation of service contractors shall be approved by the deputy commissioner for assessment and operations coordinating group.
The BOC said that this is to ensure that all existing accredited condemnation facilities are compliant with CMO No. 24-2021, which prescribes the guidelines for the disposal of forfeited commodities through condemnation.
“This audit reflects our commitment in upholding the highest standards of our operations and maintaining public trust with the bureau,” customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said.
The Port Operations Service audited 38 facilities, comprising 100 percent of the BOC-accredited condemnation facilities all over the Philippines.
In June, the Commission on Audit in its published 2022 report cited the lack of specific timelines in the disposition of abandoned/seized and forfeited goods totaling to P567.265 billion, which resulted in the delayed disposal of the same by three days to 265 months.
The COA said this exposed the goods/articles to the “risks of further spoilage/deterioration and forgone government revenues.”
“We recommend and management agreed to provide specific timelines for disposal of abandoned and forfeited goods/articles; and require the ports to immediately dispose of the goods/articles subject to disposition to prevent further deterioration and decline of value,” COA said.
