• THERESA MAE DULMAN
A total of P37.1 million worth of surrendered and abandoned illicit cigarettes were destroyed by the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) yesterday afternoon, Nov. 11, with the shredding and crushing done at Cell no. 5 of the city’s sanitary landfill in Brgy. Felisa.
The 377 boxes of seized cigarettes were not tagged as court evidence since they were voluntarily surrendered and recovered across Police Stations 4, 6, 8, and 10 between May and August this year, BCPO director, P/Col. Eugene Rebadomia, clarified.
Representatives from the Commission on Audit, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office witnessed the joint inspection, destruction, and disposal process.
A verification by the BIR revealed the confiscated cigarettes lacked the required health warnings and tax stamps, pointing to serious regulatory and tax breaches.
Rebadomia said the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region will sustain law enforcement operations to eradicate smuggled and illegal cigarette trading throughout the region. | TMD
