MANILA – The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has affirmed its earlier ruling denying an offer of settlement by payment of fine made by individuals who tried to bring in USD491,600 into the country in 2019 without valid declaration.
In a 26-page decision dated January 9 and penned by Associate Justice Henry Angeles, the tax court denied for lack of merit the petition filed by five individuals asking it to release 70 percent of the seized amount, or USD344,120.
“The penalty of forfeiture is not excessive; it is in accordance with customs law,” the CTA said.
Mohammad Chang, upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from Hong Kong, declared that he had only USD148,000 in his customs baggage declaration and foreign currency declaration forms.
However, upon examination, customs examiners found that the actual amount involved was USD649,600, prompting them to seize the baggage.
Chang, along with co-petitioners Johnny Yusup, Ferdaus Omar and Armand Daud, claimed that they were money changer employees who went to Hong Kong to purchase watches and pieces of jewelry using the cash that was seized.
They petitioners said they returned to the country with the money unspent as they found the watches and jewelry to be too expensive.
Customs officials released USD158,000 representing the USD148,000 declared amount and the USD10,000 that can be brought into the country without declaration under Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas rules. (PNA)