REAFFIRMING his statement to the media last month assuring the public of “full transparency” in the destruction of smuggled goods destined for condemnation, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno signed an order for the “full coverage, recording, and live streaming of all BOC condemnation activities and destruction processes in its entirety.”
Under Customs Memorandum Order 49-2025 dated September 3, 2025, agents from the Intelligence Group (IG) and Enforcement Group (EG) are now physically required to be present during the condemnation process.
“These representatives must certify key details—including the conduct and duration of the activity, the quantity of goods destroyed, and other pertinent information, ensuring that each process is beyond reproach and fully documented,” reads a BOC statement on September 8.
“This is not just a procedural reform but to assure the public of what kind of agency we must become and aspire, guided by President Marcos Jr.’s vision of a government that upholds good governance and accountability,” added Commissioner Nepomuceno.
The Customs Chief first disclosed his plan to ensure transparency in the condemnation of seized and abandoned goods while inspecting a shipment of smuggled cigarettes worth more than P605 million at an industrial warehouse in Plaridel, Bulacan, last August 27.
The memorandum applies to all condemnation and destruction activities conducted by any port, collection district, office, unit, or composite team of the BOC, regardless of location, volume, or nature of goods.
It extends across the entire chain of procedures, from accreditation, bidding, and awarding of condemnation to the actual destruction at the designated facility. The condemnation committee, on the other hand, is mandated to strictly oversee and ensure full compliance with the CMO.
The BOC also advised all accredited condemnation facilities to submit a complete recording of the activities to the Public Information and Assistance Division (PIAD) for publication and safekeeping.
This is to promote transparency by making the record accessible to the public, the BOC added.
Meanwhile, the BOC also announced the reinstatement of the guidelines for the preliminary suspension of the accreditation of licensed customs brokers and importers.
In a separate statement, the agency said CMO 6-2024 dated February 12, 2024 has been rescinded. The CMO provides that no broker could be subjected to preliminary suspension unless a formal administrative charge for suspension or revocation of accreditation had first been filed.
On instruction from Commissioner Nepomuceno, the BOC said that effective from September 3, the provisions of CMO 12-2024 (Guidelines on the Imposition of Penalties relative to the Customs Accreditation of Importers and Brokers) have been reinstated.
The order provides the framework and procedures for imposing sanctions such as suspension, revocation, and other penalties on importers and brokers found to have committed violations of customs laws and regulations. It serves as a safeguard to ensure that only compliant and responsible stakeholders are allowed to transact with the BOC.
However, requests from accredited brokers and importers whose accreditation has been preliminarily suspended will continue to be honored.
Likewise, shipments that are still in transit or that arrived at the ports before the effectivity of the preliminary suspension will be processed without delay, the BOC clarified further.