SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) recently seized a forward truck that contained 36 units of used industrial sewing machines being passed off as scrap metal.
According to SBMA Chairman Martin Diño, the truck was supposed to transport scrap metal from Subic Bay Apparel Corporation and had a declared amount of P10,000. Diño said the shipment was consigned to Skyscraper Trading.
Diño said that a certain Ronaldo Fernando acquired these items from Subic Bay Apparel Corp. Vice President George Cheng and was supposed to be pulled out of the compound on a staggered basis on May 9.
But BoC officials belied the certification, stating that Cheng’s signature was forged. They also stated that Fernando bought the items from Subic Bay Apparel Corp. as machineries, fabrics, furniture, equipment, accessories, which included two boilers, a vacuum machine, compressors, and other accessories.
The company sold these items to Fernando for a lump sum price of P2,650,000 on May 2.
According to them, Skyscraper Trading first conducted the pull out operation on May 11, when the company used a forward truck which hauled 35 serving machines, 11 sewing motors, and 17 office chairs.
The BoC officials revealed that the items were transported to San Simon Industrial Park in Pampanga on a secured building after being exited thru the Tipo Gate. (Jonas Reyes)