Ruffy asks Customs 'kings' to leave posts

MANILA, Philippines - Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ruffy Biazon on Friday ordered the reassignment of all district collectors in response to President Benigno Aquino III's haranguing in his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Biazon announced in a press conference that he asked all district heads called "Kings" as well as sub-port collectors, port and sub-port officers to relinquish their positions through writing as part of the "reforms" in the agency.

"There are 17 kings, not three kings. That is figurative speech. All collection districts. All 17 kings and sub-kings. They are expected to submit their letters by Monday. If not, I will still carry out the reassignments," said Biazon, who offered to step down from the agency's helm after the SONA on Monday, which was rejected by the President.

Biazon, meanwhile, urged the so-called "powerful forces" outside the BOC not to meddle in the ongoing shakeup.

Related: 'Powerful forces intervening at BOC'

"Sa pag-uusap sa intervention siguro naman they will take it upon themselves not to intervene. Sana 'wag," he said.

Biazon explained that the government and the public are expecting radical reforms from the bureau, on which the past days' media attention has been focused.

"Bagaman nagkaroon na tayo ng mga reshuffle noong nakaraan na mga buwan, itong panahon na ito na masasabi nating nailagay sa forefront ng atensyon ng publiko ang Bureau of Customs, kinakailangan naming magpakita ng aming determination na talagang tumupad doon sa reform agenda ng ating pamahalaan," Biazon said.

The current district collectors are San Fernando's Fidel Villanueva IV, Rogel Gatchalian in Manila, Ricardo Belmonte in Manila International Container Port, Carlos So in Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Rene Benavidez in Batangas, Divina Garrido in Legaspi, Julius Premediles in Iloilo, Ronnie Silvestre in Cebu, Leovigildo Dayoja in Tacloban, Oswaldo Geli in Surigao, Anju Nereo Castigador in Cagayan de Oro, Hadji Abubakar Hamad in Zamboanga, Matriano Bangcoy in Davao, Errol Albano in Subic, Edward dela Cuesta in Clark International Airport, Enrico Turringan in Aparri and Frederico Bulanhagui in Limay.

Malacañang has said that it is expecting major reforms to rid the BOD of corruption.

President Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda had assured that no one will be spared from the reforms that will be implemented by the administration in the coming weeks.