12 BOC collectors relinquish posts

MANILA, Philippines - Only 12 of the 57 Bureau of Customs (BOC) port collectors have so far complied with the order of Commissioner Rufino Biazon to leave their posts as part of a major revamp aimed at cleansing the corruption-tainted bureau.

One of the 12 was Port of Manila district collector Rogel Gatchalian, tagged in a report (not in The STAR) as one of the “three kings” in the bureau.

Gatchalian made his move known in a letter sent through fax to the BOC late Friday.

The report named some politicians as alleged patrons of ranking BOC officials. The officials have until tomorrow to comply with Biazon’s order.

By immediately complying with Biazon’s directive, Gatchalian said he wanted to prove that he was not desperately clinging to his post as district collector, a position that he had been holding for the past three years.

He also said he hopes the ongoing reshuffle would clear Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile of accusations that he was meddling in BOC operations.

He said that with his action, he hopes “to give the commissioner a free hand to decide and to disprove the allegation that Sen. Enrile is meddling in the affairs in the bureau in my favor and to show na hindi ako kapit-tuko sa pwesto (that I’m not clinging to my post).”

He said he is not a newcomer to the BOC, having been with the bureau since 2007. One of his assignments was heading the Run After the Smugglers (RATS) group funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He said RATS under his leadership filed 95 criminal cases against 495 individuals.

Last Friday, Biazon issued a memorandum ordering all district collectors and sub-port collectors to relinquish their posts in line with the planned reshuffling of top field officers by next week.

Another BOC official alleged as having benefited from political connections said he would leave his post tomorrow.

Manila International Container Port (MICP) district collector Ricardo Belmonte said he “would definitely comply with the directive of the commissioner because that is an order.” Belmonte’s elder brother is Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Ricardo said he has no idea of his next assignment. “I never cling to any post. It does not really matter for as long as it is in my (salary) grade,” he said.

Gatchalian and Belmonte, along with Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) district collector Carlos So, were called the “three kings” at the BOC because of their sensitive assignments as well as their political connections.

But Belmonte, 64, in an earlier interview, said he had never sought favors from his brother throughout his 34 years in the bureau.

He said he had been with the bureau long before his brother entered politics. He is set to retire in February next year.

The six other district collectors who have relinquished their posts are Edward de la Cuesta of Cebu, Oswaldo Geli of Surigao, Eduard James Dybuco of Davao, Adelina Molina of Subic, Ronnie Silvestre of Clark, and Darwisha Shuck of Zamboanga.

The five others – who are sub-port collectors – are Noah Dimaporo of Harbor Center, Jemima Su-Flores of North Harbor, Josefa Villasenor of Nasipit, Pendatun Alim of Dadiangas, and Pedro Quinones of Parang.

After Malacañang turned down his offer of resignation, Biazon announced a major revamp at the BOC and issued a memorandum asking all district collectors to vacate their posts.

Biazon’s move came four days after President Aquino openly criticized the bureau in his State of the Nation Address for allegedly failing to address rampant smuggling.

It was the presidential rebuke that prompted Biazon to offer his resignation.

Deputy Commissioners Danilo Lim and Jose Lorenzo Tañada later tendered their courtesy resignations. Malacañang has yet to decide on their resignation offers.

Lim and Tañada said “powerful groups” were meddling in the operations of the BOC.

Modernization bill

A senior administration lawmaker, meanwhile, is pushing for the immediate passage of the Customs modernization bill in Congress to help rid the bureau of misfits and corrupt officials as well as allow the country to fully comply with international protocols.

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, president of the Centrist Democratic Party, also chided BOC executives for blaming other officials, including lawmakers, for their failure to curb smuggling.

“It’s unfair to blame others for your failures. Look at yourselves,” Rodriguez said, referring to Tañada and Lim who made the allegations.

He said if the two officials had allowed illegal activities within their offices, then they could be considered parties to the crime committed.

Rodriguez recalled his stint as immigration commissioner during which he was able to implement reforms despite some recalcitrant subordinates.

“As a leader, you just have to show them that you are fair, firm and harbor no favoritism. And it will come out that you are not susceptible to pressure,” he said.

“You just have to regularly explain to your boss (the President) why you made those decisions that may be opposed by some interests,” he added.

He said the previous 15th Congress had approved on third and final reading House Bill 4788 or the proposed Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. The measure, however, was not passed in the Senate.

The lawmaker said the measure would help the country comply with the Revised Kyoto Convention, which simplifies and harmonizes customs procedures around the world.

“This bill seeks to make import trade transactions faster, predictable, efficient and transparent, and seeks to increase confidence in our customs procedures through the use of modern technology, which will ultimately increase the inflow of goods,” Rodriguez said. – With Paolo Romero