EDITORIAL - Murders in the BOC

Between Dec. 23 last year and Friday last week, six officials and personnel of the Bureau of Customs have suffered violent attacks, with two resulting in deaths. BOC senior appraiser Eudes Nerpio was shot dead in Binondo, Manila on Jan. 7. On the night of Feb. 11, BOC information and technology operator Gil Manlapaz Jr. was shot in the head as he boarded his vehicle that was parked near his house in Sta. Ana, Manila.

The death of Manlapaz came on the heels of a grenade attack outside the Quezon City home of BOC Deputy Commissioner for enforcement and security service Teddy Raval on Feb. 9. A grenade was also lobbed at the BOC Gate 3 in Port Area on Jan. 29 but did not explode.

Last December, lawyer Melvin Tan, who is assigned at the office of the BOC deputy commissioner for internal administration, was shot several times on his way home in Las Piñas. He survived. On Jan. 14, assistant section chief Ryan Difuntorum also survived an ambush while he was driving home in Sampaloc, Manila.

Over the weekend, the Bureau of Customs Employees’ Association lamented that the attacks have created a “climate of fear” among BOC personnel. Even employees with no controversies hounding them, and who have been dedicated to their work amid the risks posed by the pandemic have been attacked, the group pointed out.

Law enforcement agencies must conduct a thorough probe of the cases, which could undermine efforts to fight smuggling and the trafficking of contraband including prohibited drugs. The masterminds must be tracked down together with the direct perpetrators.

At the same time, the Philippine National Police must come up with an update on what happened to its probe into the alleged kidnapping of at least 15 officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, most of them reportedly regional officers, between 2013 and 2019. In July 2019, the PNP said most of the alleged victims were wealthy BIR officials, but police investigation was being hampered because no one had filed a complaint.

Allowing kidnappers, murderers and bombers to get away with their crimes will breed impunity and guarantee more attacks. Authorities must double down on their efforts to solve these cases.