Opposition party calls for ‘thorough revamp’ of Customs

MANILA – Members of the opposition party called on the Bureau of Customs to rid itself of corruption as they claimed that corrupt practices continue at the agency.

After taking criticism for various cargoes illegally slipping its custody, there has been “no change” in the bureau, the Liberal Party said.

At least 105 container vans filled with Chinese ceramic tiles, diapers and canned goods worth P69 million slipped through the Port of Manila recently.

The Customs must carry out a “thorough revamp” to rid the agency of “bad eggs,” said the party president, Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

That agency officials accused of corruption are given other designations in government and not dismissed and charged makes “cleansing” the Customs difficult, Pangilinan said.

The Customs was also in hot water last year after the smuggling of 604 kilograms of shabu from China worth P6.4 billion.

Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang katiwalian sa Bureau of Customs,” said Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV. “Nasaan ang pagbabago? Wala pa ring pananagutan sa isyu ng smuggling.”

Aquino said the Customs should have tightened its processes after the shabu shipment slipped through its inspections.

Hindi na sila nadala na may lumusot ng toneladang shabu sa gitna ng war on drugs ni Pangulong Duterte,” he said.

Party vice president on external affairs Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada said the latest incident was a result of the non-prosecution of Customs officials allegedly involved in the shabu smuggling.

Wala nang takot na nararamdaman ang mga taga-Customs lalo pa’t nakalusot ang ilan sa kanila kaugnay ng pagpuslit ng bilyong pisong halaga ng shabu sa bansa,” said Tañada, former representative of Quezon City’s 4th District.

Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña promised to run after those responsible for the illegal release of imported goods.

“The motive is monetary game, short-changing the government,” Lapeña said in a report. “If they think they can get away with this, they are wrong.”/PN

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