Duterte yet to accept Customs resignations

Malacañang has yet to remove 18 Customs political appointees told to leave last Oct. Most are still holding key posts, to the detriment of a cleanup ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

At least three of the overstaying officials are linked to alleged irregularities.

Deputy Commissioner Gladys Rosales was tagged in the purported bid rigging for x-ray inspection machines. The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating her as head of bidding and of internal administration. Director Jeffrey Tacio repeatedly was named by whistleblowers in the recent smuggling of 1.6 tons of shabu worth P11 billion at the Manila International Container Terminal. Investigating the scam, Sen. Richard Gordon recommended his sacking and indictment as head of import assessments.

Director Eduardo Chico was tagged in the alleged “swing” mode of smuggling at the Mindanao International Container Port in Misamis Oriental. Rep. Jericho Nograles accused him of removing by mere verbal orders the x-ray inspection machines placed there in 1996 by President Fidel Ramos. The resultant non-inspection of cargo potentially enables the entry of contraband, including terrorist paraphernalia, in contravention of strict martial law in Mindanao. In “swinging,” Nograles explained, cargo containers hastily are sneaked out of port for unloading in nearby warehouses. The containers are then sneaked back in for dummy inspection and documentation. Nograles attributes to it the proliferation of smuggled goods in Mindanao, including 51 40-foot containers of hospital waste from South Korea.

Atty. Erastus Sandino Austria, spokesman, is facing extortion and other complaints filed with the National Bureau of Investigation. He prominently belittled the initial theory by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency of shabu in magnetic lifters in a Cavite warehouse, which later proved positive.

Customs insiders aver that some political appointees habitually countermand by mere verbal instructions long established laws, presidential orders, and written rules.

Among the others who have resigned but remain in position are:

Deputy Commissioners Ricardo Quinto for intelligence, and Jesus Fajardo for revenue collection monitoring, both retired generals, Jeffrey Ian Dy of management information systems, Atty. Edward James Dybuco assessment operations coordination, and Atty. Teddy Raval of enforcement;

Service Directors Adzhar Albani of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, Jessie Cardona of Finance Management Service, Yogi Felimon Ruiz of Enforcement and Security Service, Atty. Alvin Ebreo of Collection Service, and Atty. Yasser Abbas of Finance;

Collectors VI Atty. Elvira Cruz of Port of Cebu, Carmelita Talusan, Maritess Martin, and Atty. Vener Baquiran.

President Duterte had ordered them to turn in their resignations after he removed their recommender Isidro Lapeña as Customs commissioner in Oct., following the shabu smuggling. They have managed to stay well into the start of the 2019 election period last Sunday, when personnel hiring, firing, and transfers are prohibited.

A Malacañang lawyer said, however, that the Customs political appointees are not covered by the ban precisely because they already have turned in their resignations. Replacements recommended by new Customs chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero must be submitted to Finance Sec. Carlos Dominguez, who in turn has to seek presidential approval.

* * * Watch closely that P75-billion pork barrel that the Senate slashed from the 2019 budget of the Dept. of Public Works and Highways. It slyly can be reinserted by the bicameral conference committee, dubbed as the “third chamber of Congress.” More so since culprit congressmen were supposed to profit from the pork through 40-percent kickbacks from flood control projects in their districts.

Info on the P75-billion hidden pork surfaced while Sen. Panfilo Lacson was exposing other slabs divvied up by leaders of the House of Reps. Among his discoveries were P2.4 billion for a hundred unspecified farm-to-market roads in the Pampanga district of Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. As well, P1.9 billion in that of Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, and billions each for their faction members. Andaya’s alibi for it was that 99 other congressmen have pork insertions higher than Arroyo’s, presumably totaling P228 billion. Plus, the remaining 195 congressmen have P60 million or so each, for another P12 billion.

* * * Best to put those steal-able billions in programs from which citizens truly can benefit.

Like, in training of school principals and teachers to boost elementary and high school instruction. Over and over it has been shown that most elementary graduates are unprepared for high school, the grads of which are inapt for college, the grads of which too lack employable skills.

Another is agricultural management systems and crop insurance. Officials need to inform farmers to vary their crops and planting habits. Farmers in Benguet are throwing away their vegetable produce, in Pampanga their melons, and in Laguna their tomatoes because of low farm-gate prices. That’s because of unwitting simultaneous sowing and reaping of same crops in clusters of towns. With proper info, they would be able to forecast supply and command better prices. Corn growers can avoid rat infestations from simultaneous ripening. The Bureau of Animal Industry too can know how many tons of poultry are to be produced locally, and so stop permitting imports. Poultry raisers presently are suffering from oversupply of 15 million chickens.

The saved pork barrel can seed a crop, poultry and livestock insurance scheme. Farmers can collect in case of crop failure due to storms and pestilence. That way they will be emboldened to try again, instead of quitting due to no relief from disasters.

* * * The Sigma Kappa Pi Fraternity and Sigma Delta Pi Sorority present “Rev” music festival. Featuring 22 favorite Pinoy rock and college bands. Mark it on your calendar: Feb. 16, Saturday evening, at the UP-Diliman Sunken Garden. Tickets available at the gate.

* * * Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., DWIZ, (882-AM).

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