MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday announced that it has taken “cognizance” of President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to support the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the performances of its various tasks.
“We are fully supportive of the BOC Commissioner Rey Guerrero. We will provide to him the personnel that he needs for him to accomplish his very important and consequential mission,” AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in press briefing.
He added that the success of the former AFP chief staff redound to the benefit of the Filipinos and the country.
Guerrero, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1984, was named to head the BOC following the transfer of its former head Isidro Lapeña to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) amid the probe on smuggling of multi-billion shabu shipment into the country.
Prior to his appointment, Guerrero was administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).
“Given the task, the AFP is preparing to meet the challenge head on and to measure up to the seat expectation of the President. The CSAFP (Chief-of-Staff, AFP) (General) Carlito Galvez. Jr. has ordered the staff of the GHQ (General Headquarters) to immediately constitute a contingent from the AFP which will be coming from the PAF (Philippine Air Force), from the Army, and from the Navy-Marines for ad interim detail to the Bureau,” Arevalo disclosed.
Despite this, he said the AFP chief concurs with the statement and position of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that the assignment of AFP personnel at the BOC should be on a temporary basis only.
“Now considering the enormity of the challenges that will be facing the bureau, said personnel from the AFP should be of unquestionable integrity, of good repute and known competency and professionalism. The AFP is an institution committed to support other agencies of government like the BOC in pursuit of their mandated tasks that will benefit the Filipino people and the nation which the armed forces has sworn to protect and defend,” Arevalo stressed.
He, however, declined to comment on the constitutionality and legality of the order.
“Yung (The) question ng (of) constitutionality and legality, I would like to leave that to the President’s spokesperson. The AFP is just responding to the mandate given to us by the Commander-in-Chief,” Arevalo said.
The military spokesperson added that there are no specific figures yet on the number of troops deployed to the BOC.
When asked on whether this will prove detrimental to the mandate of the AFP, Arevalo said: “we are, as the BOC is, in extraordinary times and this would require extraordinary contingency measures and approaches.” (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
