Manila, May 29 -- The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Friday filed criminal complaints against officials of a local cargo-handling firm for abandoning nearly 37,000 balikbayan boxes belonging mostly to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno led the filing of the complaint before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against officers of Makati Express Cargo Inc.

The firm was accused of abandoning a total of 117 40-foot containers containing 36,826 balikbayan in the ports of Manila, Cebu and Davao.

The unclaimed boxes are declared impliedly abandoned in favor of the government under customs regulations, the BOC said.

Of the total number, 65 containers containing around 19,671 boxes were consigned through the Manila In...