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Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile has decided to
inhibit himself when the Senate Committee on Ways and Means resumes
Tuesday next week its investigations on smuggling activities in the
country.
Sen. Francis
Escudero, the committee chairman, said the probe on Tuesday would
include allegations of the American Chamber of Commerce of alleged
car smuggling at the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) in Port
Irene, Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
“Although
inhibition is personal and voluntary on the part of a member, I laud
Senator Enrile for his decision to inhibit himself from the
hearing,” Escudero said.
He said that
officials of American chamber, CEZA, and the Car Assemblers and
Manufacturers of the Phils. Inc. would be invited to the hearing.
The chamber had
maintained that as in the Subic Freeport, CEZA has no authority to
import cars for use on roads outside its jurisdiction. The Supreme
Court had already ruled that Subic could not import used cars and
sell them for outside use.
Enrile argued
that CEZA was created by a law different from Subic and that its
mandate includes the importation of used cars. Used cars started to
enter Cagayan after the Supreme Court issued its decision against
Subic in 2005. From June 2005 to May 2008, 7,625 vehicles had
entered Port Irene.
He had denied
that the cars were smuggled because they all leave CEZA with the
payment of correct taxes and tariffs. He dared Amcham to prove even
one case of car smuggling in Cagayan.
Escudero said the
hearing would look into the legality of the car importations at CEZA.
“We would also
inquire on who were the importers and if the proper tariffs were
paid,” he said.
He admitted,
however, that only a Supreme Court ruling applying to CEZA could
stop the entry of used cars in Enrile’s turf.
---Efren L. Danao
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