2 Customs execs relieved

Two Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials, accused of robbery-extortion by a Taiwanese passenger, have been ordered relieved of duties and placed on "floating" status, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Customs District Collector Celso Templo said yesterday.

In a Customs personnel order, Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo said Simeona Hernandez, acting chief of the departure operations division at NAIA Terminal 1; and Angelito Roel Aruta, acting Customs examiner of the same division would be relieved of their duties and be reassigned to the Human Resources Management Division (HRMD) pending investigation.

"This order shall take effect immediately and shall last until revoked," Bernardo said in his order.

The BOC chief said the reassignment of the two Customs officials was "in the interest of the service."

The BOC has started an investigation into the robbery-extortion complaint filed by a Taiwanese passenger who allegedly lost P135,000.

Templo earlier said in a memorandum, which Aruta submitted to him, could stand as strong evidence against Hernandez.

Aruta’s testimony allegedly corroborates that of the Taiwanese, identified as Li-Ling Lin, a businesswoman who owns a travel agency.

Lin filed a robbery-extortion complaint against the two before the Airport Police Department (APD) as well as the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office.

In her statement , Lin said that on July 17, 2003, she was brought to the Customs office, where she was questioned over a large amount of cash — P135,000 — she planned to take to Taiwan. The passenger was informed that departing passengers are only allowed to carry with them P10,000, pursuant to a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) circular.

Aruta said he accompanied the passenger to Hernandez, his chief, for proper disposition of the cash.

The complainant claimed Hernandez confiscated her money, and gave back P10,000.

No incident report was filed during that time and no receipt was issued to Lin.

One week later, Lin came back to the Philippines together with the APD personnel and confronted Hernandez about the money. Hernandez denied her allegations.