Public stands to lose in Dellosa-Nepomuceno feud at Customs
A Bureau of Customs (BOC) insider says the “peace treaty” between Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Jessie Dellosa and Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Ariel Nepomuceno tends to benefit Dellosa more than Nepomuceno.
“Dellosa has more to lose since some of his men are on the take from smugglers, while Nepomuceno has none that I know of,” said the BOC insider, who’s not from either camp.
Asked whether Dellosa is aware of the activities of his people, the customs insider said: “That’s the kind of question a naïve person would ask.”
So how come Dellosa keeps yapping about the continuing smuggling operations and has even pointed to some officials who are supposedly protecting smugglers?
“Next question, please,” the insider said, a knowing smile on his face.
Some of Dellosa’s subordinates had heard him linking a Malacañang official to smuggling. This was when he was in a bad mood at the office.
“True or not, he should not have uttered those words since his men are not clean themselves,” the insider said.
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Dellosa, a blabbermouth for a military officer (he was Armed Forces chief of staff before he came to Customs), once intimated that Nepomuceno was friendly with some smugglers.
In retaliation, Nepomuceno’s men exposed some of Dellosa’s subordinates who were chummy with smugglers.
It was a case of one living in a glass house who threw stones at a neighbor’s house, inviting retaliation.
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On the other hand, Nepomuceno has reportedly stepped on some toes at the bureau because of his relentless campaign against smuggling.
Nepomuceno, who has the power to put a suspicious cargo on hold since it’s his job to enforce customs laws, ordered some subordinates relieved of their posts on mere suspicion of talking with suspected smugglers.
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If protocol is to be strictly followed, only Nepomuceno has the power to hold suspicious cargo while Dellosa’s job as customs intelligence chief is only to feed Nepomuceno with information.
But like what his predecessors have done, Dellosa is violating that policy for “obvious reasons,” according to the insider.
As long as that protocol is not followed, the peace treaty between Dellosa and Nepomuceno will only be temporary.
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Who stands to lose in the Dellosa-Nepomuceno feud?
The citizenry, of course.
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How come the activities of the notorious couple Chito and Dolly at the customs bureau seem to have escaped Dellosa’s notice?
Chito, who is a janitor, and Dolly, an office clerk, continue to collect bribe money from smugglers for a customs official.
Chito and Dolly’s liaison is known among rank-and-file employees but is tolerated since illicit relations are a norm in the bureau.
They were earlier kicked out of the BOC for unexplained wealth but were able to get back after reportedly bribing some people in the Office of the Ombudsman.
