DFA chief takes swipe at Bureau of Customs

MANILA, Philippines — Want to become a millionaire? Work in government.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. made the suggestion in reaction to a magazine article titled “Want to become a millionaire? Create multiple streams of income.”

“In that case work in Customs or in any other Philippine agency that requires permits from wide and variegated public,” Locsin said on his Twitter account yesterday.

In 2016, President Duterte called the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Internal Revenue and Land Transportation Office as the “most corrupt” agencies.

Malacañang justified a military takeover of the BOC in October, saying “lawlessness” and a “state of lawless violence” in the bureau prompted the President to place what he had acknowledged as a corrupt agency under military control.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said it is within the Chief Executive’s constitutional mandate to protect the people from all forms of “lawlessness,” including tapping the military for help.

Duterte appointed in March three new deputy commissioners to the BOC, including a former Manila International Container Port (MICP) district collector who was dismissed following the reported smuggling of billions worth of shabu last year.

The appointment papers dated March 6 were released by Malacañang only last Saturday.

Duterte called on the newly appointed government officials to fight corruption as well as to uphold transparency and good governance in their respective offices. 

Among the newly appointed officials were former military generals Daniel Ramiro and Donato San Juan who assumed as deputy commissioners of the BOC whose head, Commissioner Leonardo Guerrero, is their “mistah” at the Philippine Military Academy.

The third new Customs deputy commissioner Vener Baquiran also took his oath before the President last Monday. 

Baquiran was previously sacked as former MICP district collector as he was charged with alleged negligence and tolerance in a case elevated to the ombudsman for the smuggling of P2.4 billion worth of shabu hidden in magnetic lifters.

Locsin was also critical of the Congress approval of a bill establishing a trust fund for coconut farmers and its industry. He described the coconut fund as loot.

“Something to loot. Bring out the champagne,” Locsin tweeted.

Voting 159-5, the House of Representatives approved on Monday House Bill 9197, authored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and ANAC-IP Party-List Rep. Jose Panganiban Jr.

The bill seeks to establish the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Trust Fund for the benefit of the coconut industry. 

Under the measure, the initial capital of the trust fund would come from all the assets and properties derived from coconut levy recovered assets, dividends, interest earnings and income that are available as soon as it is signed into law. 

In February, Malacañang confirmed the President vetoed the bill seeking to set up a P100-billion trust fund for coconut farmers.

Former Quezon congressman Erin Tañada said Duterte may have vetoed the Coco Levy Fund Bill because of a non-existent provision for a perpetual trust fund.

The coconut levy trust fund is in addition to the P10-billion funding from the General Appropriations Act.

According to reports, the President also chose to veto the bill over a provision designating six farmer-representatives in the state-run Philippine Coconut Authority Board compared to only five government representatives.  – With Edith Regalado