Faeldon files ethics complaint vs Lacson

NICANOR E. FAELDON on Monday filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson, Sr. after the lawmaker last month accused the resigned Bureau of Customs (BoC) chief of being among those benefitting from the systemic corruption at the agency.

Mr. Faeldon, who continues to refuse testifying about the “tara” system and drug smuggling at the BoC, remains confined at the Senate in Pasay City but was allowed to get out of his detention room for some minutes to file his complaint against Mr. Lacson.

In his privileged speech last August, Mr. Lacson said Mr. Faeldon “should’ve stood firm” against the tara system at the bureau “even if he’s alone” but “instead of going against the system, siya ang kinain ng sistema ( he was the one eaten by the system).”

Among the payolas supposedly received by Mr. Faeldon after he was appointed BoC chief last year was a “welcome pasalubong ( present)” of P100 million, according to the lawmaker.

The former BoC commissioner on Monday said there was no truth to the allegations being hurled against him by Mr. Lacson and that the lawmaker could not use these lies to malign a Senate resource person like him.

Mr. Faeldon also asked if Mr. Lacson was attacking him to protect the interest of the lawmaker’s son. He challenged Mr. Lacson to show evidence that he had a hand in corrupt activities at the BoC.

Earlier, Mr. Faeldon accused Mr. Lacson’s son of allegedly smuggling billions of pesos worth of cement by undervaluing freight costs. He also insinuated that Panfilo “Pampi” Lacson, Jr. and his firm Bonjourno could be “fronting” for the senator.

Mr. Faeldon said Mr. Lacson Jr.’s firm was among the 600 importers he suspended and that he personally knew of four shiploads of cement last year — three in July, within his “first 12 days in office,” worth more than P100 million, and one in October — whose freight cost the senator’s son allegedly undervalued by at least 50%, declaring $8 a metric ton when the prevailing cost was between $16-$20.

Another ethics complaint will be filed by Mr. Faeldon against Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV on Sept. 25. — News5/interaksyon.