Customs chief given 2 months to curb smuggling

President Arroyo promised last night to revive the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force (NASTF) if newly appointed Customs Commissioner George Jereos will not be able to effectively clamp down on smugglers and economic saboteurs in the next two months.

The President made this commitment before the program held last night for the 50th anniversary of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce Inc. (FCCCI) at the Manila Hotel.

"Let’s zero in once again on smuggling. I am giving the new Customs commissioner two months to do his thing against smuggling," she told her audience. "If after two months, you, the business community, are not satisfied, then we will revive the inter-agency anti-smuggling task force."

The President pointed out that "there can be no sacred cows in the fight against smugglers. They corrupt our bureaucracy, weaken your industries, and deprive our treasury of much-needed funds."

The task force was previously headed by now Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes. Mrs. Arroyo had directed Reyes earlier this year to abolish the NASTF after he assumed office so he could concentrate on his new job as anti-crime czar.

The President’s promise drew long and loud applause from her audience, who included taipans such as FCCCI chairman emeritus Lucio Tan, incumbent president Robin Sy, SM mall chain owner Henry Sy, and government officials led by Senate President Franklin Drilon.

She called on FCCCI members to serve as "role models to the people" by paying the right amount of taxes, helping fight corruption, reporting fixers and grafters in government, and identifying drug lords, kidnappers and smugglers "that threaten the nation’s safety and well-being."