On 02 November 2021, the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) conducted a successful entrapment operation against Zosimo E. Bello (Bello) and Salvador V. Seletaria (Seletaria), a customs appraiser and examiner at the Collection District No. II-A (Port of Manila), respectively.

The subject customs appraiser and examiner were previously reported to the Bureau by an importer to be extorting P300,000.00 in exchange for the release of their shipment. Hence, the Commissioner immediately directed an entrapment operation against the duo.

Said operation was conducted at Harbor View Restaurant, Manila – the agreed meeting place of the importer accompanied by an NBI undercover agent and the subject customs personnel. Within the plain view of the NBI and BOC agents, a white envelope was handed by the complainant to Bello and Seletaria. Said agents immediately apprehended Bello and Seletaria and were apprised of their constitutional rights. The seized envelope during the operation contained the marked money amounting to P30,000.00.

Bello and Seletaria are temporarily detained at NBI and will be subjected to inquest proceedings. On the other hand, BOC is already preparing the appropriate criminal and administrative charges against Bello and Seletaria.

BOC under the leadership of Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero is serious and committed in its drive to weed out its unscrupulous employees. Following the directives of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Commissioner Guerrero reiterated the indispensable role of the stakeholders’ participation in the anti-corruption drive of the Bureau.