Eight district collectors and 30 section chiefs of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have been relieved from their posts following the earlier pronouncement of Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña that he will be relieving any officer who will disregard his marching order to stop corruption and benchmarking in their respective ports.
The district collectors who were axed from their post are: Elvira Cruz of Port of Cebu; Romeo Rosales of Port of San Fernando; Julius Premediles of Port of Limay; Jose Naig of Port of Iloilo; Carmelita Talusan of Port of Subic; Divina Garrido of Port of Legazpi; Halleck Valdez of Port of Zamboanga; and Tomas Alcid of Port of Appari.
The Customs Personnel Order (CPO) indicating relief from their offices has been released and dates back to October 4.
In separate CPOs dated September 27, section chiefs, 30 in all, from the Formal Entry Divisions of the Port of Manila (POM) and Manila International Container Port (MICP) were also removed from their posts and reassigned to various provincial collection districts of the Bureau.
The respective FED assistant chiefs of the said two ports were designated as acting chiefs following the major revamp.
Lapeña, during the turnover ceremony of BOC command on August 30 stated that he will give all BOC employees a clean slate. This he announced again in the first flag raising ceremony when he first met the bureau’s personnel from POM, MICP and the BOC collection district of Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The customs chief has repeatedly asked BOC personnel to stop the practice of “tara” and to immediately do away with “benchmarking” and instead apply the correct valuation of goods.
Lapeña said, “I personally monitor the ports including its daily collection performance and it is apparent from the records that benchmarking is still being used in the assessment of duties and taxes. This has to stop immediately.”
Meanwhile, some officials from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) which Lapeña previously headed has joined him.
Lapeña, in recent past, said that he will be bringing his trusted people in PDEA to help him implement reforms in the agency.
Melvin Estoque from PDEA Regional Office VII is now the chief of the Account Management Office which is in charge of accrediting importers.
Director Jeoffrey Tacio from PDEA Regional Office I have been assigned as the officer in charge of the bureau’s Import Assessment Service (IAS). IAS monitors all import values of the goods taken into the country to prevent instances of undervaluation.
Also, PDEA Regional Office IV-B Director lawyer Jacquelyn L. De Guzman is the new officer in charge of the Administration Office.
“There will be more reshuffling if the BOC personnel will not cooperate in the reforms we are making. I told everyone there, I will work within the Bureau. I will be one with them. But we must be all moving in one direction, and that is removing corruption at all levels,” Lapeña adds. (BOC- PR)
