The country’s truckers and customs brokers are not giving up the fight against the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG), saying they will continue their port strikes until the agency is abolished.

Ricardo Papa, president of the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations (ACTOO), said they will not stop in their efforts to call for the abolition of the agency or the resignation of Finance Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr.

“We are seeking an official intervention from higher authorities specifically Malacañang. We (need) them to intercede as it can be a good start to solve the problem,” Papa said in an interview.

He said the truckers’ group and brokers have consolidated their efforts to launch continuous protest actions in the coming days against PASG for its alleged indiscriminate flagging down of trucks and seizure of their cargoes.

“This is not a legal question, this is an Executive question,” Papa stressed, saying that they are seeking an audience with Malacañang concerning the questionable actions taken by the PASG, which is covered by Executive Order 664.

EO 664 issued by President Arroyo directed the PASG to curb illegal smuggling, unlawful importation and other similar acts.

But ACTOO, an association of 500 trucking companies, has been at odds with PASG for what it is doing as part of its anti-smuggling drive. They complained about apprehensions that caused delays in the movement of their cargoes.

They said the cost of these actions is being shouldered by the truckers or their operators.

Meanwhile, elements of the Customs X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) headed by Lawyer Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang seized a 40-foot container van containing a motorcycle, personal effects and household goods at the Port of Manila (PoM) recently.

Seized were an undervalued and undeclared Polaris motorcycle, one strapping machine, 17 boxes of acrylic paint, two water pumps, 79 cartons of used shoes and bags, and three pumps for swimming pool.

The shipment arrived from the United States on July 3 on board the vessel NYK Atlas and consigned to Okta Trading.