Two employees of the Bureau of Customs were arrested in an entrapment operation after they were accused of extorting money from an importer in exchange for the release of a shipment.
Based on the report, Zosimo E. Bello and Salvador V. Seletaria were reportedly demanding P300,000 from an importer. This prompted the victim to seek the assistance from the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Bello is a customs appraiser, while Seletaria is an examiner at the Collection District No. II-A at the Port of Manila.
“That is part of what the Bureau of Customs is doing now, the BOC really processes and acts if there are complaints like this one,” said BOC spokesperson Jet Moranilla when contacted by the Manila Bulletin Wednesday, Nov. 3.
The operation was conducted at Harbor View Restaurant in Manila – the meeting place agreed by the importer.
They were arrested after receiving a white envelope containing the money.
Bello and Seletaria are temporarily detained at the NBI.They will be subjected to inquest proceedings, while the BOC prepares the appropriate criminal and administrative charges against the two customs officers.