MANILA – Justice department lawyers were evaluating the graft complaint filed against former Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña over the alleged illegal entry of a ceramic tiles shipment.
“It is undergoing review,” Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said Monday of the complaint the National Bureau of Investigation filed against Lapeña on Nov. 12.
Justice secretary Menardo Guevarra said he will let state prosecutors determine where the preliminary investigation of the case should be – with the Justice department or the Office of the Ombudsman.
“Our state prosecutors will resolve this issue shortly,” Guevarra said.
The complaint against Lapeña, now director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, arose from the release of over 105 container vans containing ceramic tiles worth some P69 million from the Port of Manila in March.
The NBI accused Lapeña of violating Section 3, paragraph (e) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and urged that he “be administratively charged with gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct.”
The shipment was tagged with Manual Alert Orders but was released by Asia Terminals, Inc. based on forged release orders.
Lapeña issued the MAOs even though the Electronic to Mobile (E2M) System “was accessible and fully operational,” said the NBI. (PNA)
