Lawmakers to new BOC chief: Be ready to lose friends

MANILA, Philippines - Administration and opposition lawmakers yesterday hailed the appointment of former congressman Rufino Biazon as Customs commissioner but advised him to brace for attacks from criminal syndicates and to “be prepared to lose friends.”

“He (Biazon) must be prepared to disappoint and eventually lose friends and hold detractors at bay,” Valenzuela City Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo said. “He needs all our prayers for him to learn fast how to wield the powers of the bureau to meet revenue targets and contain smuggling,” he said.

He said if requested, he would not hesitate to give Biazon advice on how to make BOC achieve its mission.

Gunigundo said the investigation of the House sub-committee on tariff and customs into the “disappearance” of nearly 2,000 shipping containers loaded with taxable goods will continue even after the resignation of Biazon’s predecessor Angelito Alvarez.

He said the sub-committee would come up with a report that would be useful to Biazon’s effort to plug revenue leaks at the BOC.

Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay also welcomed Biazon’s appointment saying he “is an excellent choice to head the bureau because he is known as a man with impeccable work ethic and integrity, as proven by his performance in his three terms in the Lower House.”

“The bureau needs someone like Ruffy (Biazon) because he is a no-nonsense type of government official. He is competent and he has never been caught up in any anomaly or intrigue in his years as a public servant,” she said. “I believe that he will provide a refreshing change to the bureau which has been tagged as among the most corrupt in the country, and institute reforms to turn things around,” Magsaysay said.

Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) Rep. Sherwin Tugna said Biazon “has an unenviable task of having to give birth to a new agency in order to achieve a maximum result that he can be proud of.”

“Most people reached the point that it becomes easy to judge the BOC as an incorrigibly corrupt agency that cannot be changed. Biazon will not have much to start with if he does not get the trust of the people that the BOC can still be rid of its bad image,” Tugna said.