In the last couple of weeks, the Bureau of Customs was rocked again by controversies following the discovery of the two magnetic lifters full of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” at the Manila International Container Port and the four empty magnetic lifters that were found in GMA, Cavite which the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) alleges to likewise also contain more or less one ton of shabu as well. At the center of these controversies is the BOC X-Ray Inspection Project as the unit that scanned the four empty lifters found in Cavite.
An image of the four empty lifters that began circulating in the media as well as to the offices of some legislators purportedly showing that they were stuffed with shabu fueled speculations from the public that indeed drugs were smuggled out of Customs without being detected by their scanners. The unauthorized distribution of this image was aimed at influencing the minds of the reader into believing that a portion of the image showing a different pseudo colored contrast to be that of shabu. However, the fact is that not a single grain of shabu was found in the warehouse where the four empty lifters were found and the swabbing test done by the PNP and PDEA themselves on the lifters as well as the aluminum foils which is a material that supposedly had a direct contact with the presumed narcotic contents of the lifters yielded negative results for the presence of shabu.
The only idea that the PDEA is vainly trying to sell the public is that there probably was drugs inside the lifters because their drug sniffing dog sat beside the lifters to indicate that it smelled something that will indicate the presence of shabu. The PDEA failed to consider that in many instances, particularly at the Port of Batangas, MICP and even at NAIA and at the Port of Clark when their K9 dogs sat beside certain shipments and luggage as signal that they sniffed something inside, however, during the actual examination of said containers and luggage, no drugs were found. This statement of PDEA could well have a major effect in our judicial system considering that they categorically stated that the swabbing test, a scientific method to determine the presence of drugs is not an accurate indication of their presence. Does this mean that we should give more credence to the result of the K9 detection rather than on the more scientific procedure of testing which our courts held to be more reliable and accurate?
What is more interesting here is the apparent interest of some individuals inside the Bureau of Customs to influence the result of the investigation that is being conducted by the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs. Disgruntled employees still remain in the halls of Customs and are moving heaven and earth to discredit the credibility of the bureau and its personnel. These smooth-talking charlatans are doing everything to discredit the negative findings of the X-ray division and the PDEA swab test on the four empty lifters to push their selfish interest. What these individuals do not realize is that they are damaging an institution that is trying hard to rebuild its image after it was shaken by a similar controversy one year ago.
Despite these intrigues, the Bureau of Customs under the leadership of Commissioner Lapeña remains steadfast in its campaign against all forms of smuggling. The wedge that was created by these controversies between PDEA and BOC will end as both institutions are one in their mission to end the proliferation of smuggled drugs in the country.
SAM GARCIA
Port Area, Manila