Fake BOC employee nabbed for estafa, usurpation

Two more traders sued for smuggling

On Jun 28, 2021

Fake Bureau of Customs (BOC) employee, Macario Samson, showing his two fake BOC and ICTSI identification cards after his arrest by joint elements from the Manila Police District and the BOC's Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS). The BOC ID claimed that the suspect is 'Emmanuel T. Dizon' while his ICTSI ID identified Samson as 'Steven So Chan.' (photo courtesy: BOC-PIAD).

As part of the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) commitment to stop illegal activities and weed out unscrupulous individuals, the Bureau through the Intelligence Group’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (IG-CIIS) Port of Manila District Office, in coordination with the Manila Police District, arrested a certain Macario Samson, of legal age, who was posing as a BOC employee to swindle money from unsuspecting victims.

In a statement last June 23, 2021, intelligence group chief, Raniel Ramiro added that Samson, known by his alias, Intsik,’ also goes by the name of ‘Emmanuel T. Dizon,’ when misrepresenting himself as a bureau employee.

On his arrest, Ramiro said they also found another identification card from Samson claiming he is ‘Steven So Chan,’ a “director” of the International Container Terminal Inc., the private arrastre operator at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

The end for Samson came when along with an accomplice, they allegedly managed to swindle some P230,000 from an unsuspecting victim in an online transaction involving a motorcycle purportedly under BOC custody valued at P300,000.

When nothing came out from the transaction, the victim, who was not named, filed a complaint at the MPD Station 5 near port area.

The MPD, the victim and the office of Ramiro then immediately coordinated with each other that subsequently resulted to the suspect’s arrest.

Samson is facing charges of estafa, falsification of public document and usurpation of authority under the Revised Penal Code (RPC), Ramiro added.

Ramiro also warned the public to be wary of individuals introducing themselves as BOC employees selling items purportedly being held by the bureau.

The public may report such incidents to BOC textline 8484 or thru the BOC hotline 8705-6000, the official added.

Importers Charged over P24-M ‘misdec’ goods

Meanwhile the bureau’s ‘Action Team Against Smugglers’ (BATAS) announced the filing of yet two more criminal cases against two importers before the Department of Justice (DOJ) involving more than P24 million worth of misdeclared food and agricultural products.

Officers of the BOC’s Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS), swearing on the veracity of the information they filed against two suspected smugglers before a prosecutor of the Department of Justice, June 23, 2021 (photo: BOC-PIAD).

Atty. Vener Baquiran, deputy commissioner for revenue collection and monitoring (RCMG), which supervises BATAS, identified the erring importers as ‘Potanion Trading’ and, ‘Hightower Inc.’

Potanion was charged for the misdeclaration and unlawful importation of red onions last May 11, 2021 at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) with a total value of P835,924.64.

Higtower, for its part, was sued for the alleged misdeclaration and unlawful importation of food and agricultural products worth P23,483,477.30. The violation was committed on separate occasions from February to March 2021 at the Port of Manila (POM).

Case-tallying by Pinoy Exposé showed that the cases against the two trading companies placed to 42 the total number of smuggling cases the BOC has thus far filed this year.