Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) — President Rodrigo Duterte revealed he is not done with purging the Bureau of Customs (BOC) of unfit employees, saying 100 more officials will be booted from their posts.
In his speech during the inauguration of a bypass road in Candon City, Ilocos Sur Thursday, the President said, “Ay, yung mga Customs wala, yan [Those in Customs, that’s nothing]. But I have to kick them out. Sixty-four of them will be terminated next week. I… and 100 is coming.”
Duterte was speaking about Senator Bong Go, his former Special Aide, wanting plunder to be punishable by death, adding that the wealthy were the biggest plunderers, while people working for the BOC were “wala yan,” however they should be kicked out.
Duterte added, “Then I will have cleaned the… Kasi sabi nila hindi daw talaga malinis-linis ang [Because they said it was impossible to clean up] Customs. So I placed there Jagger (Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero). “
In a speech earlier this month, the President said the 64 BOC officials to be fired next week were linked to corruption.
“I will relieve them of their duties as yet they are not ousted or dismissed because of their right to be heard,” Duterte said in an impromptu interview with reporters during the official loan signing ceremony for the Malolos-Clark Railway Project. “But pinatanggal ko na sila sa trabaho ngayon (I ordered their relief) to prevent further damage sa government interests.”
On Wednesday, the Office of the Ombudsman, ordered an “in-depth” investigation into allegations of corruption in the BOC.
In a statement, the Ombudsman said criminal and administrative charges may be filed against Customs officials and employees if they are proven guilty of committing graft and corrupt practices.
