ZAMBOANGA CITY — Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has warned city government officials and employees to refrain from visiting the Bureau of Customs (BoC) office without official business.
Salazar issued the warning as reports reached her office that unscrupulous people involved in illegal activities at the BoC are dragging the name of the city government, including hers for favours.
Salazar said she would officially write BoC Commissioner Isidro Lapeña to inquire whether the latter can declare the local customs office off limits to city government officials and employees without official business.
“So to prevent it (name-dropping), we declare the BoC (office) with the support of the commissioner, off limits to the city government officials and employees unless they have official transaction,” she said.
The mayor stressed that her office is one in the fight against smuggling saying taxes should go to the government coffers and “not to the pockets of certain people.”
Meanwhile, the local BoC office said that only licensed customs brokers were doing transactions with them. (PNA)
