Fighting corruption is Customs chief’s priority

MANILA, Philippines — The campaign against corruption is newly appointed Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero’s top priority.

Guerrero attended his first flag-raising ceremony yesterday morning and told BOC employees that he is bent on implementing reforms and would be working hard toward addressing the corruption problem in the agency.

“First of all, I want to announce that there would be reforms in the agency and we would intensify our efforts to become better public servants,” Guerrero said.

“But the fight against corruption and cleansing of the BOC of corrupt officials will be my top priority as your commissioner. For this reason, it is ordered that we put a stop to the ‘tara’ (bribe per container) system and other means of soliciting or receiving (bribe) money for transactions in the bureau,” he added.

Guerrero issued the order at a time the agency is gripped by its latest controversy involving 1.6 tons of shabu, estimated to be worth P11 billion, which allegedly passed through the Manila International Container Port (MICP) undetected last July 14.

He pointed out that there have been many commissioners who entered the doors of the bureau but they failed in their mission to rid the agency of corruption.

“Painful it may be to accept, but our agency is again at the center of another big controversy. When will we start fixing our agency? There have been many commissioners who came to the BOC but up to now, we have not yet fixed the system,” he said.

Guerrero, who previously served as Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, told BOC officials and personnel to always remember the vow they make before the Philippine flag every Monday morning: to work to the best of their ability and to faithfully serve the people.

“Illegal activities have no place in the Bureau of Customs, and all the more that illegal activities and employees engaged in illegal acts have no place in any government agency… Let us serve with honesty and integrity. Let us keep the dignity and nobility of public service,” the new Customs commissioner said.

Guerrero warned them that he would not hesitate to use the authority and powers as commissioner in order for him to accomplish his mission.

For more than 30 years of serving the country, Guerrero has protected his name and reputation because he believes that this is a treasure he will leave his family.

He also said he would not allow the good name of the agency and reputation of many of the Customs employees to be tarnished by the illegal activities of a few employees.

Guerrero reminded his subordinates to be one with the agency and that the successes and failures of the agency are also the successes and failures of everyone in the bureau.

“In this regard, concerns and transactions in the bureau should follow official channels and the regular process. Everything should be documented, reported and transparent,” he said.

Guerrero also mentioned that he did not authorize anyone to use his name to conduct any legal or illegal transactions at the BOC, and that anyone illegally using his name should be immediately reported to the proper agencies.

Meanwhile, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Public Affairs Committee (CBCP-PAC) executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano was open to the suggestion of Senate President Vicente Sotto III to place “graduates of seminaries” at the BOC.

It was reported that Sotto was not convinced that sending soldiers to take over the BOC was the best solution and instead proposed that the corruption-ridden agency be privatized. He also made passing mention of putting graduates of seminaries in the BOC.