The Bureau of Customs (BoC) proved the reform program being implemented by its Chief Ruffy Biazon is “working” and yielding results even before President Aquino delivers his State of the Nation Adress (Sona) today.
Infact, three days before the Sona, the BoC made two significant feats in one day as part of its relentless effort to curb graft and corruption in the agency.
Just last Friday, the BoC  intercepted P47 million worth of smuggled rice in the Port of Subic and later that day, seized P15 million worth of  illegal drugs at the NAIA 1 Terminal in Pasay.
But that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
The government, through the BoC under the administration of Biazon, has so far filed 42 smuggling cases before Aquino’s Sona.
In line with President Aquino’s policy of good governance, the Run After The Smugglers (RATS) Group, has filed a total of 42 cases under the watch Biazon.
Using his “iron fist,” Biazon has been hell-bent in implementing the government’s anti-graft and corruption campaign with the end in view of making them a “thing of the past” and “good governance” prevails in all facets of society.
According to Biazon, the BoC will relentlessly and continuously combat smuggling in all forms, in all ports and at all costs.
Biazon decscribed last Friday’s catch as hitting two birds with one stone. “Our efforts are yeilding efforts more than we expect,” Biazon said.
On that single day alone, the BoC was able to prevent 45,000 sacks of smuggled rice from Vietnam and more than three kilos of shabu from Thailand via a Singaporean durg mule to enter the country.
“That could already be something but take a look at what the BoC has already done even before that,” Biazon said.
He said of the 42 smuggling cases, the BoC has filed before the Department of Justice (DoJ) an P18-million smuggling cases against four traders and two brokers for illegal importation of rice and chemicals.
Charged were Noriel Angob, owner-proprietor of DXS Marketing, his attorney-in-fact John Edillor and broker Elvie Flores for bringing into the country 13 20-footer vans said to contain Phthalic Anhydride without the necessary permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Also charged were Rolando de los Reyes, owner-proprietor of Afidee, and his broker Sabjulna Ergo Ofilan for the unlawful importation of four 40-footer container vans and one 20-footer van declared as “assorted kitchenwares” and “assorted tools” but were found to contain premium white rice.
Likewise, charged was Veronica Joy Reyes, owner-proprietor of Seph Gabrielle Enterprises, who also unlawfully imported four 40-footer container vans of rice misdeclared as “aluminum framing.”