Lawmakers seek probe on attacks on BOC personnel

MANILA, Philippines — Militant lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives have sought a congressional inquiry on the spate of attacks against personnel of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Bayan Muna party-list Reps. Carlos Zarate, Eufemia Cullamat and Ferdinand Gaite filed House Resolution No. 2494 calling on the committees on human rights as well as civil service and professional regulation to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation on cases of ambush attacks targeting BOC employees.

“These reprehensible attacks against the employees of the BOC are similar to the ‘tokhang’ style killings whose victims were suspected illegal drug addicts and pushers but this time against those suspected of involvement in corruption,” read the measure.

“Similarly, while there is a narco-list of suspects involved in the illegal drug trade, there is also a so-called list of suspected corrupt officials at the BOC,” the lawmakers stressed.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has reported four murders of BOC employees since December 2021.

Records showed that the latest attack was the shooting of a BOC IT operator, identified as Gil Manalapas, in front of his house in Sta. Ana, Manila.

The PNP said it is doing a case analysis to establish possible leads in the attacks on BOC personnel.