Crisis of Leadership, Mis-steps, Mis-decisions at the Bureau of Customs

A lawyer accused of acts of lasciviousness is now the head of a division at the Bureau of Customs. A customs collector who stands accused of numerous acts of graft and corruption retains his post in Mindanao. And an official with a terribly bad record of performance, now retains his post at Subic. He replaced a very simple and honest government official who recently increased the take of the international port by nearly 4 billion pesos. 


What is going on in the Bureau of Customs?


Is this the way to help government cleanse the ranks of the corrupt? BY promoting those with very suspicious records of performance and re-assigning those who do a great job?


I was informed that a well-meaning person already informed Finance secretary Cesar Purisima about the goings-on in the Bureau. 


And what did the Finance head said? He reprimanded that well-meaning person for reporting these decisions by Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez.


Fact is, there is a looming crisis in the Customs caused by an anomalous shipment of tons of sugar. Yes, sugar.


This illegal shipment was allowed to enter the Philippines, depriving government of millions of pesos worth of taxes and collections.


This shipment, according to sources, had the blessings of "higher ups".


President Aquino should investigate what is going on at the Bureau of Customs.


If Aquino will not act on this, then, maybe the Para sa Bansa July 1, 2010 movement could. 

Customs collector charged with graft gets promoted by Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez

Subic customs collector Talek Pablo improved collections at the SBMA, giving at least 3 billion pesos to the national coffers last September. And what did he get? Pablo was replaced by controversial Customs Collector Errol Albano, a known Arroyo gang member and a close Lina associate.


Worse, Customs Collector IV Lowell Lomuljo Medija who recently flunked a lifestyle check and slapped with criminal and administrative charges by the Office of the Ombudsman, was spared from the reshuffle and remains as district collector of the Mindanao Container Terminal.


It seems that Alvarez is really serious in ridding Customs of corrupt men. Pooh! Spit!


Alvarez promised to feature several officials slapped with charges every single week. Yet, the Aquino administration is getting a year older, and no single big fish has been jailed or incarcerated. 


As they say in the BOC...we are still open for business.


Let the facts show you how stupid Alvarez is. 

Medija is the latest catch in the wide dragnet set up by the Finance Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) in cracking down erring Customs personnel.

RIPS said he was found to have amassed unexplained wealth and properties with his annual gross income of R511,668.

According to RIPS, he had acquired ample wealth consisting of prime properties in Davao City.

Among them are two newly constructed mansions in South Royal Pines-Matina, a house and lot in Talomo Bucana Moonland Subdivision, a residential lot in Toril Eden Mountain Haven Subdivision, a 5.5 hectare agricultural tract of land with various plantations of pomelos, bananas and mangoes, six poultry buildings, and a piggery.

In addition, Medija also owns 16 vehicles consist of Ford Explorer Wagon, Toyota Fortuner Wagon, Toyota Land Cruiser, Honda Civic Sedan, Nissan Silvia Sedan, Honda Hatchback Sedan, Mazda Tribute 2, as well as Isuzu cargo trucks and utility vans, and a Honda motorcycle.

NOW, IS THIS THE STRAIGHT ROAD THAT PRESIDENT NOYNOY AQUINO WANTS? 


Aquino should immediately fire Alvarez. He is a thorn in the government's efforts at cleansing the Bureau of inept and corrupt officials. 


Aquino should not worry. Aquino should stop granting favors to those who gave millions to fund his electoral campaign. His administration is getting a year older and I think that a year of giving favors to allies is more than enough. They have probably recovered their investments and more.