A group of Overseas Filipino Workers, accompanied by representatives from the Bureau of Customs, brought their complaints directly to National Bureau of Investigation OIC Director Lito Magno as they moved to file criminal cases against cargo companies accused of withholding balikbayan boxes. ABS-CBN News reported that Magno immediately directed a team of agents to take charge of the probe.
Customs officials said the allegations stem from shipments that never reached their intended recipients, prompting calls for accountability from companies operating as forwarders. Michael Fermin, Deputy Commissioner for the Customs International Administration Group, explained that the violations being examined involve both unprocessed duties and unpaid charges.
Fermin said the scale of the issue grew far beyond isolated incidents, noting how the numbers revealed the breadth of the impact. “The real delay happened because the duties were not processed and not paid. Why are we pursuing criminal charges? First, this involves more than 10,000 OFWs abroad. If we count the boxes—three, four, or even six per person—we have 52,000 boxes. That’s equivalent to 130 containers. So roughly 10,000 to 12,000 people are affected,” he said.
He emphasized that the volume of complaints aligns with what the law considers a major offense. “Under our laws, this qualifies as large-scale estafa because it involves significant amounts and thousands of victims,” he added.
Magno, meanwhile, assured complainants that the NBI’s investigation will cover every party involved in the chain of delays. “We must protect our modern-day heroes. We will give all the support needed to safeguard their rights and hard work. We will begin this investigation to determine the root cause, and whoever needs to be held liable, based on gathered evidence, will be made accountable,” he said.
