Ignoranteng coast guard inireklamo ng BoC-NAIA (Lady Customs Officer tinakot)

ISANG Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel ang inireklamo ng Bureau of Customs (BoC) sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) dahil sa tahasang paghihimasok sa operasyon ng ibang ahensiya sa pangunahing paliparan ng bansa.

Sa liham ni Atty. Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, Deputy Collector ng Passenger Service Bureau of Customs, sa NAIA, tinukoy niya ang isang PCG personnel na kinilalang si PO2 Fiesta na tahasang nakikialam sa hurisdiksiyon ng BoC sukdulang makapang-harass ng isang lady Customs officer.

Hiniling ni Mangaoang kay Admiral George V. Ursabia, Jr., Commanding General ng PCG, kailangang maghain ng “written apology” si PO2 Fiesta dahil sa kanyang panghihimasok sa hurisdiksiyon ng BoC at tahasang pananakot sa isang lady Customs officer.

“We demand a written apology from P02 Fiesta, considering that he is a uniformed personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard who is supposed to be a gentleman.

“He intimidated a female Customs Officer, a person-in-authority who is vested by law with jurisdiction over passengers, crew and their baggage,” mariing pahayag ni Mangaoang sa kanyang liham.

Inilinaw din ng Customs official sa kanyang liham, sa ilalim ng Article 148 ng Revised Penal Code (RPC) ang isang indibidwal ay maaaring sampahan ng kasong

Direct Assault kung siya ay  “… seriously intimidate or resist any person in authority or his agents, while engaged in the performance of official duties, or on occasion of such performance.”

Ang nasabing indibidwal ay maaaring patawan ng parusang prision correccional sa minimum period o multang hindi lalampas sa P500.

Sa ilalim naman ng Sec. 305 Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) malinaw na ang paglabag ng PCG personnel sa “Trespass or Obstruction of Customs Premises.”

Sa Sec. 1430, ang paglabag dito ay maaaring patawan ng 30 at isang araw ngunit hindi hihigit sa isang taon, o kaya ay papatawan ng multang P100,000 ngunit hindi hihigit sa P300,000.

“If the offender is a public officer or employee, the offender shall be disqualified from holding public office, from exercising the right to vote and to participate in any public election for ten (10) years,” sipi ni Mangaoang sa nasabing batas.

Tinukoy ni Mangaoang ang insidente sa Customs Arrival Area, Terminal II, NAIA, noong 28 Disyembre 2020, dakong 5:30 am, isang P02 Fiesta ng PCG ang sumita at nanakot kay Customs Officer Mona Cielo Magnaye.

Aniya, ang ignoranteng si P02 Fiesta ay kinuwestiyon ang Customs personnel sa Customs Arrival Area.

Pinaikialaman din umano ni Fiesta ang Customs declaration form ng pasahero.

Sa ilalim ng R.A. 9993, klaro na ang tungkulin ng  PCG ay sa maritime areas lamang.

“We understand that PCG personnel were directed by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to assist arriving Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in NAIA while the COVID 19 pandemic is still raging, which is actually not among the functions of the PCG as provided by law.

“We accept their presence and support them in their assigned tasks here in NAIA. However, they must be aware of the mandated presence and authority of Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) agencies here in NAIA.

“PCG personnel should not throw their weight around and act like they own  NAIA since they do not  have any jurisdiction and are not essential government personnel at the airport,” ani Mangaoang sa kanyang liham.

Mas dapat umanong hingin ng PCG ang persmiso ng Customs official kapag sila ay nasa Customs Arrival Area na base sa batas ay nasa legal na kontrol ng Customs.

“Personnel of government agencies must respect the legal authority of other government agencies,” diin ni Mangaoang sa kanyang liham.

HATAW News Team