NEPOMUCENO: NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW — NOT IMPORTERS, BROKERS, NOT EVEN CUSTOMS MEN!

MANILA — The Bureau of Customs under Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno has fired another major shot against agricultural smuggling, filing six criminal complaints before the Department of Justice against importers, representatives, a customs broker, and several BOC personnel over shipments allegedly disguised as nothing more than “chicken lollipops.”

But when Customs inspectors opened the containers, the alleged deception was exposed.

Instead of chicken products, authorities found a staggering 15,029 sacks of fresh white onions and 2,164 boxes of fresh carrots.

The six shipments, consigned to Berches Consumer Goods Trading and arriving in June 2025, allegedly lacked the required Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

For Nepomuceno, the message is blunt: play games with Customs and the law will come knocking.

The complaints allege violations of Section 1401, in relation to Sections 1400 and 117 of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), involving alleged fraudulent misdeclaration and the importation of regulated agricultural products without the required clearances.

CUSTOMS PERSONNEL ALSO IN THE HOT SEAT

The case does not stop with importers and brokers.

BOC personnel allegedly involved are also facing criminal complaints under Section 1431(c), (e), and (f) of the CMTA, covering alleged willful neglect of duties, acts or omissions that could enable another person to defraud the government, and negligent or deliberate acts allowing violations of customs law.

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) has likewise endorsed appropriate administrative charges against the concerned personnel to the Prosecution and Litigation Division (PLD) for proceedings under the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

NEPOMUCENO: “WALA TAYONG TINATAKPAN!”

Commissioner Nepomuceno made it unmistakably clear that his crackdown is aimed not only at smugglers but also at anyone inside the Customs organization who may have participated in, facilitated, or benefited from illegal transactions.

“Wala tayong pagtatakpan at hindi natin kukunsintihin ang anumang paglabag, lalo na kung may pagtatangkang abusuhin ang ating mga proseso. Importer man, broker, o kawani ng Customs, kung may sapat na ebidensya, gagawin natin ang nararapat at ihaharap ang kaso sa tamang proseso. Ang pananagutan ay para sa lahat.”

That stance comes amid heightened enforcement against agricultural smuggling, including the recent NBI operation in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, which reportedly implicated Customs personnel in alleged illegal importation of chicken meat.

96 CASES. 288 RESPONDENTS. ₱13.7-BILLION SEIZURES.

With the latest six complaints, the BOC said its enforcement drive has now reached 96 criminal cases involving 288 respondents.

The Bureau also reported ₱13.7 billion worth of seizures from 2025 through 2026, underscoring the scale of its continuing campaign against illicit and misdeclared goods.

The latest cases send a powerful warning to those attempting to exploit the country’s ports:

MISDECLARE IT — AND FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.

Under Nepomuceno’s leadership, the BOC says its enforcement campaign is being coupled with tighter internal accountability under the Integrity, Accountability, and Modernization (IAM) Movement.

The objective is clear: protect government revenue, stop illegal agricultural shipments, safeguard legitimate traders, and ensure that Customs personnel themselves remain accountable for their actions.

For those allegedly attempting to beat the system, the message from the BOC is now impossible to miss:

NO COVER. NO SPECIAL TREATMENT. NO ONE ABOVE THE LAW.

And Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno is putting that message directly on the record.

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