Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) signed the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Enlistment of Deputized AMLC Financial Investigators (DAFIs) of the BOC, and administered the oath-taking of deputized AMLC officers as BOC Enforcers on May 11, 2022, at the OCOM Conference Room, OCOM Building, Port Area, Manila.

The agreement will increase the BOC’s capacity to prevent, detect, and investigate money laundering and terrorist financing offenses as deputized AMLC Financial Investigators shall be assisting the agency in the specialized field. With the deputization of officers from the Investigation and Enforcement Department (IED) of the AMLC, the BOC shall be in a better position to implement Letters of Authority that involve violations of the CMTA with money laundering and terrorist financing operations.

The event was attended by AMLC officials, namely, Atty. Mel Georgie B. Racela, Executive Director of the AMLC Secretariat, Atty. Matthew M. David, Director of IED, Atty. Emmett Rodion M. Marantan and Atty. Erano A. Dumale, Director and Acting Deputy Director of Financial Crimes Investigation Group, respectively. Also present were Mcdonald L. Carsula, Artemio R. Baculi Jr., Darius M. Canullas, and Atty. Frayn M. Banawa, Sub-Group Heads of AMLC.

For BOC’s part, Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero, Deputy Commissioners Atty. Vincent Philip Maronilla, Atty. Teddy Sandy S. Raval, Atty. Edward James A. Dy Buco, Atty. Vener S. Baquiran, Donato B. San Juan, Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz, and other BOC officials were present.

In his message, Commissioner Guerrero expressed his gratitude to the AMLC for the continued partnership. “The Bureau of Customs has been able to achieve much in terms of milestones and accomplishments precisely because of dynamic and results-oriented partnerships such as these. Indeed, the synergy of expertise and experience between and among agencies like ours can only result in positive gains for our country and our people”, he said.

BOC will continue to strengthen the partnership with AMLC in pursuit of shared goals of information-sharing and capacity-building, to synergize the efforts of both agencies against cash smuggling & money laundering.