Ombudsman suspends Customs exec who failed lifestyle check

A woman official of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) was suspended for six months without pay yesterday by the Office of the Ombudsman based on a complaint of Director Eduardo Matillano, chief of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Flor Aguilar, 52, chief of the BOC’s miscellaneous division, had earlier failed the lifestyle check conducted by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission.

In suspending Aguilar, Overall Deputy Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio Jr. said the evidence against her is "strong" and that her suspension had become imperative.

"Evidence at hand presents the concurrence of all the conditions that would warrant the preventive suspension of Aguilar pending the conduct of the administrative proceedings in the instant case," read the nine-page suspension order.

The charges against Aguilar consist of grave misconduct/dishonesty, which could warrant her removal from office, he added.

Aguilar was "living beyond her means," owing to her numerous properties acquired under questionable circumstances, said Matillano and lawyer Nicasio Conti of the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff.

Matillano said Aguilar did not declare in her statement of assets and liabilities several pieces of property — a P1-million house in BIR Village, Fairview, Quezon City and four luxury vehicles, two of which were BMWs, with each valued at P1.8 million, he added.

She also owns a P12-million condominium unit in Antel Seaview Towers along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, he added.

Matillano said Aguilar bought the unit from former tourism secretary Mina Gabor in January 2002 and placed it in the name of her younger brother, Carlo Magno Gupilan, a US citizen who last visited the country in September 1993.

Aguilar also has a 625-square meter lot in Panicuason, Naga City, he added.

Matillano said immigration records show Aguilar traveled nine times to Los Angeles and thrice to Hong Kong, starting July 1994 and until this year.

Her children, Regina, 29, went to Los Angeles seven times, once to Hong Kong; Bethina, 21, flew to Hong Kong once in October 1993; while Josephine went to Los Angeles 12 times from February 1995 to January this year. –Delon Porcalla