DOJ orders NBI to investigate corruption in Customs
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the graft and corruption practices in the Bureau of Customs, as alleged by President Rodrigo Duterte himself during his fourth State of the Nation Address.
In a July 26 department order signed by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the NBI was told to immediately build a case, and file appropriate charges if evidence warrants, against alleged corrupt Customs personnel.
NBI Director Dante Gierran was also directed to submit reports on the investigation directly to Guevarra.
Noting that the BoC managed to collect P585 billion last year, Duterte last Monday said the agency could have generated more revenues had it been clean and less corrupt.
“If we cannot abolish their position and if I cannot dismiss them for the reason that there is a security of tenure, I will just allow them to have their plantilla positions but they have to report to Congress every day to help me in the huge paperwork that we have to do every day,” Duterte told lawmakers during his SONA.
“All of them will go out from the premises of the Customs area. I do not want them back,” he added. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral with a report from The STAR/Evelyn Macairan
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