Duterte vows to develop Basilan, if...

MANILA, Philippines – President Duterte has promised to develop Basilan if the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) collect the right taxes and duties.

During a discussion with local officials in Isabela City Thursday, Duterte said the country suffers a P300-million-per-day loss at the BIR and another P200 million at BOC due to corruption.

He said preventing corruption at the BIR and BOC is one way of gaining funds that could be used for needed social services.

He has warned BIR and Customs employees and officers that he has the raw data on the people involved in corrupt practices and that this is being validated.

He also warned them that they might be dismissed from the service due to administrative and criminal offenses or, worse, end up dead.

Duterte asked local government officers to identify and agree on the problems confronting Basilan as a province so he could deal with them.

He also urged residents to shun hatred and help his administration in developing the island province.

The government and rebels could not go on fighting forever, he added.

Duterte intends to provide livelihood for residents and help the town and city government in giving the basic needs of poor communities to deal with the rebellion and the violence.

He also intends to tap the coco levy fund to rehabilitate the island’s coconut industry, about 40 percent of which is infested with “cocolisap,” as soon as a legal mechanism is put in place.

Basilan is the largest and northernmost of the islands in the Sulu Sea.