MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte appointed three new deputy commissioners to the Bureau of Customs, including a former Manila International Container Port district collector who was dismissed following the reported smuggling of billions worth of shabu last year, documents released by Macañang showed.
Based on appointment papers dated March 6 but were only released by the Palace on Saturday, Duterte appointed Vener Sia Baquiran, Raniel Ty Ramiro and Donato Belmonte San Juan to the BoC.
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To recall, former BOC chief Isidro Lapeña axed Baquiran in 2018 over two incidents of shabu smuggling that allegedly slipped past authorities last year.
Baquiran reportedly headed the port district when the magnetic lifters with traces of shabu arrived on June 28 and July 11.
In January, the National Bureau of Investigation filed criminal and administrative charges against Lapeña — whom Duterte has since reassigned to the Technical Education and Skills Development — and 50 others, including Baquiran, following the alleged drug shipment.
READ: NBI files raps vs Isidro Lapeña, 50 others over shabu
Duterte has been slammed for his practice of reappointing people accused of anomalies in government, which his critics said sends mixed signals on his fight against corruption. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral