Anti-smuggling czar Antonio Villar said Thursday that the Bureau of Customs (BoC) has been keeping its records secret, which prevents the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group to effectively fight smuggling in the country.

"Paano kami tutulong sa pagsugpo sa smuggling? Ayaw kaming bigyan ng direct linkage sa computer nila. Kami,  umaasa lang kami sa mga tip sa amin (How can we help in putting an end to smuggling? They (BoC) won't give us a direct link to their computers (records). We're only depending on tips)," Villar told ABS-CBN's morning show, "Umagang Kay Ganda."

Villar added that important shipping documents, including inward manifests, are being kept by the BoC from his group. He said the documents would help the PASG pinpoint who are the people involved in smuggling.

Villar's group on Tuesday filed graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against BoC Commissioner Napoleon Morales, officials of Jetti Supply Distribution Inc. (JSDI) and Mindanao Container Terminal Port collector Rudy Amistad for their alleged involvement in oil smuggling.

In a press statement, the PASG said the graft charges were filed as a result of a two-month investigation on the alleged smoke-screened oil smuggling activities involving Amistad and JSDI.

Villar said Morales was included in the charge sheet because of Amistad's admission that the alleged oil smuggling activities were cleared by the customs chief.

The PASG said that Customs officials conspired with JSDI to divert its imported oil for local consumptions without proper payment of customs duties and taxes.

No anomaly

Morales, meanwhile, said that Villar's accusations are baseless. He said he himself issued as early as October 2008 an audit modification letter to JSDI. He said the firm is currently a subject of the BoC's pre-audit.

The BoC chief added that he had also ordered their legal division to investigate JSDI's activities.

Morales said the BoC has been making sure that the JSDI is paying its duties and taxes.

"Ako po ay masa at nasa Ombudsman na iyan. Kaya ko po itong sagutin. Walang anomalya (I'm glad it has been filed with the Ombudsman. I can answer the charges. There is no anomaly)," the customs chief said.