BOC chief sacks 38 execs

MANILA, Philippines — Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña yesterday relieved eight district collectors for their failure to meet collection targets and 30 section chiefs for benchmarking or setting a fixed value for different types of shipments.

Lapeña said the collectors were placed in the “freezer,” a term referring to a transfer to the bureau’s Compliance Monitoring Unit.

The eight district collectors are Elvira Cruz, Port of Cebu; Romeo Allan Rosales, Port of San Fernando in La Union; Julius Premediles, Port of Limay in Bataan; Carmelita Talusan, Port of Subic; Tomas Alcid, Port of Aparri; Divina Garrido, acting district collector and operations officer for the Port of Legaspi; Jose Naig, officer-in-charge and operations officer of the Port of Iloilo; and Halleck Valdez of the Port of Zamboanga.

This brings the number of district collectors transferred to the CMU to 10. Late last month, Lapeña relieved Manila International Container Port district collector Vincent Philip Maronilla and Port of Manila district collector Ma. Rhea Gregorio.

Lapeña explained that benchmarking results when a Customs officer or employee gives a fix price for duties and taxes for all types of shipment, regardless of content or value.

He said this would result in the giving of “tara” (grease money) and the government losing revenues.

“Government should be getting what is due to the government. I am not satisfied with what is coming out. I want to see the correct valuation,” Lapeña stressed.

Since last month, the commissioner has set the target for the bureau to collect P50 billion monthly, an amount that was divided proportionately among the 17 collection districts.

Aside from reassigning 30 section chiefs to various provincial collection districts, Lapeña also appointed three of his trusted men from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to the BOC. He named Melvin Estoque (PDEA Regional Office VII chief) to head the Account Management Office; Jeoffrey Tacio (PDEA Regional Office I head) as director of the Import Assessment Service and Jacquelyn de Guzman (PDEA Regional Office 4-B head) as officer-in-charge of administration.

Lapeña warned that “there will be more reshuffling if the BOC personnel will not cooperate in the reforms we are making. I told everyone, I will work within the bureau. I will be one with them. But we must be all moving in one direction and that is removing corruption at all levels.”

He led the mass oath taking of 560 BOC employees who were promoted and given new positions in the bureau.

Also yesterday, Lapeña ordered the release of more than 200 container vans with “on alert” status, urging their consignees to cooperate with the BOC so this can be done in 48 hours after inspection.