The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has issued rules and regulations on the condemnation of forfeited and abandoned goods, in line with its mandate to enhance trade facilitation and improve ease of doing business.
The BOC said in a statement yesterday Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 24-2021 has identified the various goods which are subject to condemnation.
These include forfeited and abandoned goods which are restricted and highly dangerous, absolutely prohibited or prohibited by law to be released, have no commercial value and are injurious to public.
“Furthermore, these goods shall be condemned in any of the several modes such as rendering, crushing, thermal decomposition, shredding, among others, based on the issued order,” the BOC said.
The BOC said under the CMO, a condemnation committee shall be created to evaluate the recommendation in the accreditation of a service contractor.
“The CMO now provides a uniform procedure and requirements in the accreditation of service contractors for condemnation of goods in line with the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018,” the BOC said.
It added that the committee is also tasked to issue an order of condemnation, and recommend the imposition of administrative and/or other sanctions as maybe appropriate against any entity, subject to the approval of the district collector in the port concerned.
“This CMO provides a mechanism to expedite the disposition and release of shipments for condemnation and assist the ports in decongesting overstaying containers,” the BOC said.
“A supervising team for condemnation is likewise created to ensure the condemnation procedure compliance, from its underguarding until it reaches the condemnation facility, to its proper disposal and submission of completion report,” it added.
From January to June 2021, the BOC disposed 1,041 overstaying containers through auction and condemnation saying this improved trade facilitation by eliminating port and yard congestion.
