PORT operation Asian Terminals Inc. denied the claim of the Bureau of Customs that one of its employees was caught on camera receiving money from importers transacting business at the agency.
“We were made aware that the Bureau of Customs [BOC] held a press conference and issued a press statement today, September 7, 2016, alleging that their CCTV at the BOC Port of Manila Building caught a corrupt act on camera,” the port operator said in a statement.
The statement said a CCTV footage on Sept. 5 showed an alleged employee of Asian Terminals Inc. assigned at Window 1 of Room 104 receiving money from importers or exporters transacting and processing papers to avail gate passes.
“We state for the record that Window 1 of Room 104 at the Port of Manila Building is not an ATI office and that the individual allegedly captured in the CCTV footage is not an ATI employee. Furthermore, fees and charges collected at the aforementioned office, if any, do not go under the remit of ATI,” the firm said.
“ATI has zero tolerance on corruption and stringently implements institutionalized policies and procedures that safeguard transparency and promote professionalism in delivering port services to our customers and stakeholders,” ATI added.