MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte considers firing more officials at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) as he eyes the takeover of soldiers in the “corruption-laden” government office.
In a speech in Leyte, Duterte said he plans to make a wholesale “firing” when he returns to Manila.
“I will go for Customs again there will be a lot of dismissal,” Duterte said. “When I go back, I would be firing more from the Bureau of Customs. I’m just telegraphing maybe ilagay ko na sa Army.”
“Hindi na ako maniwala they are not allowed (Army) to work since I cannot depend on the idiots. What should I do? And if my country is sinking, you want me to follow a rule that cannot help my country?” he added.
Duterte’s firing threat came after Sen. Panfilo Lacson revealed that it was “business as usual” for corrupt Customs officials as the illegal practice “tara” (grease money) system at the BOC still persists.
Citing his “sources,” Lacson said for the Office of the Commissioner (OCom), an average of P5,000 grease money was being distributed for every container “plus 10 percent of the collections of each section/office directly under the OCom.”
The Intelligence Group allegedly received P3,000 per container, P3,000 for the Risk Management Office, P2,000 to P3,000 for the Import and Assessment Service, and P1,000 to P2,000 for the Enforcement Group, said Lacson./PN
