Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua couldn't help but wonder how the Bureau of Customs (BOC) utilizes its intelligence funds amid what the House Committee on Ways and Means has described as the worsening illicit tobacco trade.

Chua took part in the recent investigation of the ways and means panel, which looked into the multi-billion-peso smuggling of cigarettes into the country.

Chua, chairman of the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, rued that despite the allocation of intelligence funds to the bureau, it continues to fail in stopping the entry of contraband.

“Kasi yung mga congressman sa Mindanao alam, wala naman po kaming mga intel fund (You know, Mindanao congressmen, we don’t have intel fund),” he told BOC Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Romeo Allan Rosales, who faced the House inquiry last Feb. 11.

It was Rosales who got grilled by the solons over cigarette smuggling, since BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno was unable to attend because of another commitment.

“In fact, sabi nga po ni Congressman Zia [Alonto Adiong] sa sari-sari store ganun na po katindi over the counter nabibili na po yung ganito and yet hindi po natin alam (In fact, Congressman Zia said that these can be bought over the counter from small neighborhood stores and yet, we don’t know what’s happening),” the Manila lawmaker added.

Chua inquired about the bureau’s intel funds, to which Rosales said he would have to find out first as he would be overseeing the BOC’s intelligence funds for the first time this year.

“Iyong Highway Patrol [Group] ilan na po ang accomplishment for the past couple of weeks (What are the accomplishments of the Highway Patrol for the past couple of weeks)?” the congressman further asked Rosales.

The attending solons—including Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro 2nd District and panel chairman, Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Miro Quimbo—called out the BOC for its unpreparedness in facing the committee’s probe, despite it being the key agency tasked to combat the illicit activities.

On top of Nepomuceno’s absence, the lawmakers were also ticked off that the BOC even failed to prepare a presentation during the House hearing.

Moving forward, the Quimbo panel is expected to investigate the possible involvement of some BOC officials in cigarette smuggling activities in the country. This is in connection with complaints against former BOC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service director Thomas Narcise and former BOC CIIS Field Station Chief-Port of Manila Paul Oliver Pacunayen, who were implicated in the operations.

Pacunayen and Narcise were among the officials mentioned in a letter sent to President Marcos by customs officials, employees and stakeholders last Dec. 11.

The letter also mentioned a customs broker, who was earlier identified in a Senate report as a major agricultural smuggler operating in the Port of Subic, Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila, Port of Batangas, and Port of Cebu.

“The Port of Manila, as the country’s primary international gateway, has reportedly become a focal point for the entry of regulated, prohibited, or undeclared goods, including agricultural products, counterfeit items, illicit cigarettes, motor vehicles, vape products, and other regulated commodities,” it said.