The Bureau of Customs continues to look into the involvement of Lilia 'Leah' Cruz, the so-called Sibuyas Queen, in the smuggling of onions into the Philippines.
Atty. Jet Maronilla, the deputy commissioner of BOC, revealed on Friday, May 19, that the intelligence group and enforcement group of the agency already conducted several investigations on Cruz.
However, Maronilla admitted that Customs has yet to link Cruz or her company, the Philippine Vieva Group of Companies, to any of the personalities apprehended for smuggling.
"On-and-off yung paglutang ng kanyang pangalan. Although, officially, sa records nung mga consignees ng Bureau of Customs, especially nung cooperatives yung ginagamit, hindi nalutang yung pangalan niya," Maronilla said during DZRH's Dos Por Dos.
"Ini-interrogate din naman namin yung mga nahuhuli namin na tao, hindi pa rin lumulutang yung pangalan niya pero hindi naman namin sinasabi walang kinalaman," he added.
Maronilla suspects that Cruz uses a different company for bringing onions to the Philippines.
"Even yung company niya ay walang record sa amin ng importation. Iba yata yung mga company na nagagamit for importation, especially those with permits," the Customs official explained.
Maronilla assured that BoC works with other government agencies, including the Anti-Money Laundering Council, to uncover ties of Cruz to onion smuggling.
"Predicate crime kasi yung smuggling. Tina-tap namin sila for certain investigations. Financial linkage yung tinitignan doon. Malawak naman yung aming intelligence network," Maronilla stressed.
He said that Customs will also check the records of Cruz in the Department of Agriculture.
"Important ang input dito ng Department of Agriculture. Mukhang sa kanila kasi may mas record si Ma'am Leah," Maronilla said.
Cruz has already denied her alleged involvement in the smuggling of onions to the Philippines.
