EDITORIAL - A job not well done

Only in the Philippines is the lead role in the anti-smuggling campaign taken away from the Customs chief and given to the secretary of the interior and local government. Customs Commissioner George Jereos in fact had two months at the helm of the anti-smuggling drive after he replaced Antonio Bernardo who resigned. With Jereos’ takeover, President Arroyo dissolved the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force headed by Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Last Thursday the President unburdened Jereos of the anti-smuggling campaign. She reactivated the task force and once again picked Reyes as its head. Jereos did not lose his post for a job that apparently for the Pre-sident was not well done. Reports said he would get a face-saving exit, with Malacañang simply awaiting his retirement in February next year.

It’s not the first time that the lead role in the nation’s anti-smuggling campaign has been given to someone outside the Bureau of Customs. The message is surely not lost on Customs personnel: they themselves are under close watch for possible collaboration with smugglers. The bureau is routinely described as one of the most corrupt government agencies, allow-ing everything from frozen chicken to vehicles and shabu to be smuggled into the country.

Customs personnel, however, are not the only ones raking it in from smuggling. Politicians, wittingly or unwittingly, also facilitate the entry of contraband, asking Customs officials on behalf of relatives of friends to release impounded goods or give pre-ferential tariffs. Some influential po-liticians or their spouses are suspect-ed of direct involvement in smuggling items including rice, sugar and even motorcycles. Few Customs officials can say no when a phone call comes from someone high up, asking for a favor.

Over the years corruption, inefficiency and political accommodation at Customs have cost the government billions in lost revenues. Reyes will have to deal with these as he leads the anti-smuggling campaign once again. Among his greatest challenges will be saying no to those who want to use power for personal gain.