The Bureau of Customs (BOC) clarified that all commodities flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) for lack of import permits were released after the correct duties and taxes, including excises, were properly collected.

In a statement Monday, July 19, the bureau said that "all necessary justifications have already been forwarded and discussed with COA on May 26, 2021, relative to the initial findings on trust funds and importations on regulated commodities."

It clarified that the P394.009 million worth of goods processed and released at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and Port of Manila (POM), which included luxury cars, "were duly assessed with correct duties and taxes including excises properly collected."

This came after state auditors found out that the importations of regulated commodities with total assessed and paid duties and taxes of P394.009 million were processed by the bureau without the required permits and licenses.

The BOC also reckoned that all the vehicle importers mentioned in the COA report were accredited under the super green lane (SGL). This includes members of associations of motor vehicles manufacturers and importers such as the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI).

"The SGL accreditation of the said importers allow them to cause the release of the shipments upon payment of assessed duties and taxes," the bureau explained.

"In addition, the commodities are not subject to government regulatory requirements and filed under a provisional goods declaration which allows the online submission of certain commodity requirements within 45 days of filing," it added.

It further said that continuous coordination with COA is being done by the customs bureau to safeguard the government's revenue.

In response to audit findings of unremitted trust receipts and unspent funds, the BOC–Accounting Division explained that non-remittance of trust funds are allowed under applicable laws, rules, and regulations of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Special Provisions of BOC General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2020, Republic Act (RA) No. 10863 or Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), and position of Bureau of Treasury (BTr) in the maintenance of MICP Collection of Trust Accounts.

The division also clarified that during the COA-BOC dialogue conference in March, it was made clear that only the Collections of Trust Liabilities- Informers’ Reward is to be directly remitted to the account of BTr, and for the remaining Trust Accounts, all idle/excess balances from prior years shall be determined and remitted to the BTr.

"To this effect, BOC issued on January 21, 2021 a memorandum submitting the list of cash bond claimants to which all collection districts complied and accomplished on January 29, 2021," it said.

The BOC further gave its assurance that it will adhere to the recommendation to remit all excess balance of Trust Accounts.