Palace defends reappointment of two ex-Customs officials accused of corruption

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday sought to defend the reappointment of two former Bureau of Customs officials accused of corruption, saying they must have already been cleared from allegations of receiving bribes from smugglers.

The Palace on Wednesday released the appointment papers of Ariel Nepomuceno and Teddy Raval. Both were designated as deputy commissioner, the same post they previously held.

Nepomuceno and Raval were among the Customs officials accused by Sen. Panfilo Lacson of receiving money from smugglers in exchange for release of illegal shipment. 

Asked why President Rodrigo Duterte, who vowed not to tolerate even a whiff of corruption in government, reassigned the two officials, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said their reappointment indicated they were found not guilty of corruption.

“It must be because there has been thorough investigation conducted by the House, the Senate, the DOJ (Department of Justice), and even from within the Palace,” Roque said.

“And it must be because these two officials were found not to be in anyway involved in the 6.4 billion scandal,” he added.

The Customs bureau was placed in hot water this year after it was discovered that P6.4 billion worth of shabu from China was able to enter the country. The scandal paved the way for a series of exposes about the supposed systemic corruption in the agency. 

Early this month, Duterte had also given new positions to former Customs Import Assessment Service director Milo Maestrecampo and former deputy commissioner Gerardo Gambala.

Lacson had also accused Maestrecampo and Gambala of receiving grease money.

Maestrecampo was appointed assistant director general II of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines while Gambala was named director IV of the Office for Transportation Security.

The Customs officials had denied engaging in any form of corruption.