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By William B. Depasupil, Reporter
ADMINISTRATION congressmen wanted the
Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) abolished,but the PASG
head, Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr., vowed Thursday to give them
a good fight.
“Well, I have bad news for them. I will never
back out in telling the public why they want me out of the scene,”
Villar said.
The PASG chief was
referring to Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros Magsaysay and Albay Rep. Al
Francis Bichara, both members of the administration party Lakas-CMD
and were among the 174 congressmen who voted for the ouster of
Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. from his post as House Speaker.
Ironically, Villar is also from Pangasinan like
de Venecia. He was a three-term mayor of the municipality of Sto.
Tomas before his appointment to the PASG.
Villar made the statement following reports that
Magsaysay and Bichara were moving heaven and earth for the abolition
of the PASG.
Magsaysay filed a resolution for the PASG’s
abolition that was taken up during a recent hearing by the House
Committee on Good Government. Bichara has reportedly supported
Magsaysay’s proposal.
“It was a cheap ‘Batman and Robin’
demolition mission,” Villar said, adding that Magsaysay and
Bichara went out of bounds in their attempt to discredit him,
“apparently hoping that at the end of the day the main obstacle to
their personal interest would be gone.”
Villar hinted that since the PASG took over to
head the Task Force Subic following the death of Gen. Jose Calimlim,
Magsaysay was allegedly worried that their “business” in Subic
might be “disturbed.”
As for Bichara, Villar said the Albay lawmaker
is likewise bothered since some of his luxury cars, which were among
the 81 vehicles seized by PASG in a recent raid late last year of
Auto Sport 24 in Makati, were not yet released due to his failure to
present proper documents.
The PASG was created by virtue of Executive
Order 624 issued by President Gloria Arroyo to help the
government’s campaign against smuggling. Task Force Subic was
created by virtue of EO 384, and through EO 687, the Task Force
Subic was placed under the control of the PASG.
“I cannot understand why these congressmen are
very eager to abolish PASG when in fact we have a lot of
accomplishments and have contributed to the government’s campaign
to curb smuggling,” Villar said adding the two lawmakers should
have instead helped the PASG and the government in the campaign
against smuggling instead of grandstanding at the Lower House.
Verification made by the PASG showed that
Bichara owned four of the 81 vehicles seized during a raid at Auto
Sport 24 in Makati City on December 14, 2007. These include two
Grand Cherokees, a Volvo and a Jaguar.
Villar explained that it is indeed questionable
how the Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZEP-947) was registered with the LTO
under the name of Bichara only on December 17, 2007, or three days
after the December 14 raid. Based on the certificate of registration
with the LTO, it showed the car was a 2006 model but on the
certificate of payment, the vehicle was registered as a 1995 model.
Villar said PASG is still investigating the matter because the
payment made was only P15,616, much lower than if the car were a
2006 model.
On the case of the Jaguar SI model 2001, Villar
said PASG released the said vehicle on condition that Bichara will
present documents to prove that it was exempted from taxes. Bichara
claimed he is entitled to bring in the said vehicle in the country
since he is a former ambassador to Lebanon.
Villar clarified that Bichara has failed to
present import entry documents and the certificate of tax exemption
until now.
On the other hand, Villar said the PASG is
likewise conducting investigation on the Volvo S80 model 2000
(WPB-288) on claims of Bichara that it was locally purchased. He
said Bichara presented to the PASG a delivery receipt from Viking
Cars Inc. However, the PASG head added that said delivery receipt
does not bear the signature of Bichara to prove that he received the
unit in good order and condition.
As for the other Jeep Grand Cherokee model 1998
(GNL-107), Villar said PASG investigators noticed several
alterations in the certificate of registration that is under the
name of a certain Christopher Baynes. He said Bichara presented a
deed of sale showing a certain Gerardo Romaldez sold the vehicle to
Baynes without a signature of a witness. However, a second copy of
the same deed of sale showed Bichara bearing his signature as a
witness.
Likewise, Villar added that Bichara failed to
present a deed of sale to prove his ownership of said vehicle.
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