Customs suspends ex-district collector

MANILA, Philippines – Three years after the Office of the Ombudsman issued its decision, the Bureau of Customs finally implemented the suspension order against former Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) member and former district collector of Cebu, Billy Bibit.

Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said that the suspension order against former BOC-Cebu district collector Bibit, Customs Examiner and Appraiser Eunice Aguilar, and Risk Management Group head Intelligence Officer 1 Troy Tan took effect Friday, June 17.

In the decision issued by the Office of the Ombudsman, the three BOC officials were found guilty of inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of their duties. They were administratively charged for oppression and other related offenses and meted with the penalty of suspension for a period of six months and one day.

In its March 16, 2006 decision, the Anti-Graft Court reportedly found substantive evidence proving that the respondents in their respective official capacities, caused the wrongful and unjustifiable seizure of the shipment of complainant Selpha Trinidad consisting of 600 metric tons of Canadian wheat in 2005.

Morales said that Bibit is no longer with the bureau. He left the BOC sometime in 2005 and that he only knows that the retired Lieutenant Colonel suffered a stroke a few years ago and is said to be confined in a hospital.

Nevertheless, the Customs Commissioner said that even if Bibit is no longer an official of the bureau, he was still included in the sanctions. “We need to implement the order of the Office of the Ombudsman so that the people would know that even if he is no longer with the bureau, the order is being served.”

As for Aguilar, she is still connected with the BOC and is assigned at the Port of Davao, while Tan remains with their Cebu office. – Evelyn Macairan