Posted on 04 May 2016
Steel industry players have asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to invalidate the import clearance certificate it granted to suspected steel shipment in the Subic port in Zambales pending the result of investigation by the Bureau of Customs.
In a letter dated April 28, 2016 to DTI Secretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr., the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) questioned the validity of the ICC issued by the DTI Zambales Provincial Director to the approximately 5,000 metric tons of 12 mm deformed reinforcing steel bars (rebars) consigned to Mannage Resources Trading Corp.
The PISI in a letter signed by President Roberto Cola has requested the DTI for “the invalidation of the purported ICC and the suspension of any activities of the DTI Zambales or the Bureau of Product Standards in relation to this shipment” pending the results of the investigation of the Bureau of Customs.
The PISI questioned the validity of the ICC issued for this particular shipment based on three grounds.
First, PISI said that the Zambales DTI Director has no authority to issue the ICC. Based on paragraph 8 of Department Administrative Order 5:2008: “The BPS through its Bureau Director or his duly designated representative has the sole authority to issue an ICC.”
The second issue is that the ICC issued in favor of Mannage Resources Trading Corp. has no control number and other traceability features.
Third, PISI said the ICC was issued to a company which has no previous track record of importing, or even applying for permits, to import steel reinforcing bar, or other products requiring mandatory product certification.
Based on these surrounding circumstances, PISI also requested for a warrant of seizure and detention with the Bureau of Customs Port of Zambales. The BOC has also granted PISI a hearing to address the safety concerns raised.
Based on the ICC Certificate issued by DTI Regional Office in Zambales, the shipment contains 462,668 pieces of 12 mm deformed steel bars weldable grade 275.
The cargoes were shipped from China via vessel MV Well Faith.
