It’s Duterte’s call on placing military in Customs — Isidro Lapeña

MANILA, Philippines — Outgoing Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña yesterday said he would not question the order of President Duterte to let the military take over and control operations of the Bureau of Customs (BOC). 

“I submit to the wisdom of the President. The question would be (addressed) by Malacañang,” he said.

Asked if he would try to dissuade Duterte from implementing the military takeover, he replied that he supports the judgment of the Chief Executive. 

Lapeña attended his last flag-raising ceremony at the BOC hours before incoming Customs chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero took his oath of office last night in simple ceremonies before the President at the Malacañang of the South guesthouse in Barangay Panacan, Davao City.

BOC interim Training and Development Division acting chief Lilibeth Bonifacio said, “We have to respect the President, he is still the anointed leader of the land and I believe that everything will work out well for the Bureau of Customs.”

She added that the decision to place all Customs officials and personnel on floating status is a prerogative of the President or of Commissioner Guerrero. 

“We are not beholden to the post. The position can be filled up by anybody chosen by the new commissioner, and if we are not chosen there is still security of tenure... Floating means you have no hold on your position,” Bonifacio explained.

As “good soldiers you continue with your jobs until you are relieved or until you are replaced for whatever reason… Let the new commissioner have a free hand in managing the BOC the way he sees fit and simply support him,” she added, pointing out that her division would probably be busier in giving orientations if the military personnel who would be running the BOC have limited knowledge on assessments and collections.

Lapeña denied allegations that he wanted to prolong his stay at the reportedly corruption-ridden agency because he is benefitting from the smuggling activities at the ports. He said he has not been a party to any smuggling or corrupt incident during his 14-month stint at the bureau.

“With all honesty and you can ask even the players if I met with any of them. I have not seen anybody (players/smugglers). I have not received any (bribe money) from them,” he said, adding that those who try to enter his office bearing gifts and tokens were not allowed into the room.

He added, “That is why we have a ‘no take, no pasalubong, no gift’ policy, and that is implemented very strictly. You go to my office carrying gifts, you would be stopped from entering my office.”

Lapeña’s transfer to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) came after 1.6 tons of suspected shabu reportedly slipped past the BOC-Manila International Container Port (MICP) undetected. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) estimated the cost of the shipment to be P11 billion.

He earlier said drug syndicates were out to remove him from the BOC because of his tough campaign against smuggling. But, while he is leaving the agency, he does not believe that the drug syndicates, smugglers and his detractors succeeded in booting him out.

“They did not (succeed). What they wanted was to place somebody to demolish for a purpose. But they failed to attain their purpose because Guerrero will continue the reforms, the reforms will be there,” Lapeña stressed.

He believed he has “done pretty well” as commissioner, noting that the BOC was able to meet and surpass collection targets during the last eight months. 

“Never in the history of the BOC that we have collected such revenue with surplus, even if they added about P150 billion from last year’s collection target,” Lapeña said.

For this year, the BOC was tasked to collect P598 billion for the whole year.  

Yesterday, he witnessed the graduation of 61 new BOC personnel from a five-month basic course at the Customs Training Institute, congratulating them for deciding to enter the bureau despite the controversies.          

Lapeña said he is pleased that he is leaving behind morally upright young people and reminded them that “integrity is doing the right things, the right way even when no one is looking.” – With Edith Regalado