Photo by Dolly Mose
By Percy Roxas
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE – Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Jonathan Tan yesterday told port users or brokers who have been complaining about alleged harassment and “extortion” by certain Port of Subic personnel that the culprits will be dealt with accordingly.
Tan said Rico Reyes, a consultant under the chairman’s office, would be on leave immediately pending investigations on accusations of extortion against him.
Tan said he did not know Reyes personally, but was assigned under his office to monitor the seaport because of previous good performances.
Reyes was previously a Customs personnel before he was employed with the SBMA chairman’s office.
Another seaport officer, Jerome Martinez, will also be investigated, and his status to be determined after consultation with the legal department, Tan said.During a dialogue called for by SBMA at the Corporate Boardroom, attended by almost 100 brokers in the Subic Freeport, several aired their complaints and grievances in front of Tan, Congressman Jay Khonghun, and SBMA chief of staff Atty. Kris Roman.
They specifically focused on the “extortion,” more commonly called “kotong-kotong,” and harassment that they allegedly experiencing for some time now.
“Hinihingian kami so need naming magbigay (We are being asked so we need to pay),” said a broker who requested anonymity.
According to the information received by the Insider, some Port of Area and Bureau of Customs personnel have been asking brokers money in exchange with the speedy release of their cargoes from the Subic port.
For example, it was said that for every container shipped out of the Freeport, brokers must pay 125K to a guy deployed also in the Seaport Department deployed under the chairman’s office.
Tan denied this though. “I do not tolerate corruption,” he said. “I will not tolerate corruption.”
There were also reports that reached the Freeport Insider office of a certain “Caloy,” allegedly also from the Seaport Department, collecting money from every truck that passes through Tipo Gate. Once the amount is paid, it was said that the container truck then gets “free pass” (Hindi na sila sisitahin sa gate).
Tan said he learned about this issue only about three weeks ago, when at the Subic Freeport Budget Hearing in Congress, Congressman Khonghun told him about it.
Apparently, many brokers deemed it wiser to relay their complaints to the congressman first, so the congressman relayed the issue to the SBMA chief.
Assuring the brokers that his administration does not tolerate corruption, the SBMA head said he will make sure the culprits get the appropriate action they deserve.
He said one of them, a former Bureau of Customer officer and presently a consultant at the chairman’s office, have been asked to file a leave of absence.
“The second, who holds a plantilla position, will be dealt with according to due process,” said Tan. “We will investigate the matter thoroughly.”
Tan and Khonghun both thanked the brokers for making their complaint’s known. “I thank these port users or brokers for mustering courage to come out and air their experiences about the issue,” said Khonghun. “I’m glad that today the issue has been addressed,” he added.
Tan reminded the brokers not to be afraid to express their grievances and complaints about issues affecting them, saying this will not result in SBMA going after them. “Now that this is out in the open, there is no more reason for you (the brokers) to still give them (the extortionist) money,” Tan told the brokers.
