MAGSASAGAWA ang House Committee on Ways and Means ng isang executive session ngayong araw upang talakayin ang implikasyon sa pambansang seguridad ng pagpasok sa bansa ng tumataginting na USD1.02 billion na cold cash.
Ayon kay Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman ng komite, ang executive meeting ay idaraos kasama ang Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Anti-Money Laundering Council, Bureau of Customs, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, at ang Board of Investments upang talakayin kung paano naka-pasok sa bansa ang malaking halaga ng foreign currency.
Ito ay kasunod ng pagsisiwalat ni Senador Richard Gordon na mahigit sa USD160 million na cold cash ang ipinasok sa bansa mula Disyembre hanggang Pebrero.
“The reported USD160 million is just the tip of the iceberg. Based on the reports that we’ve received, there is also around USD840 million that slipped past through Customs through the airports last year, on top of the USD160 million,” wika ni Salceda.
“The USD1.02 billion which entered the country last year is enough to shift political fortunes, distort the competitive dynamics of certain industries with its regulatory oversight. The committee on ways and means is completely alarmed, in fact aghast.”
Ani Salceda, ang cold cash ay hindi kinumpiska ng Bureau of Customs (BOC) dahil deklarado ito.
Sa ilalim ng batas, ang isang indibiduwal ay maaaring magdala ng hanggang USD10,000 (o katumbas nito sa ibang foreign currency), na cash o iba pang monetary instruments, papasok at palabas ng bansa.
“If a person wishes to bring more than the equivalent of USD10,000, a written declaration must be made,” nakasaad sa batas.
“But the implication of this matter on our national security is frightening, particularly the source of this money, as well as where will all this money go,” paliwanag ni Salceda.
“According to the Customs, this is a portable commodity and therefore, this should be under their mandate. We are worried because of the overly complacent or relaxed attitude of the Customs.”
Nauna nang sinabi ni Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero na may ilang pagtatangka ng mga indibiduwal at grupo na magpasok ng malaking halaga ng US dollars at iba pang foreign currency sa bansa gamit ang mga biyahero na dumarating sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport. PNA
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