Mangaoang to Duterte: Take action vs Lapeña over drug smuggling issue

While she refused to call for the resignation of Bureau of Customs (BOC) chief Isidro Lapeña, Customs Deputy Collector Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte should take action and mull his next move against the head of the embattled agency.

Mangaoang also stressed that former BOC Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon had “delicadeza” to resign when the agency faced a massive illegal drugs smuggling issue last year.

READ: Lapeña says drug syndicates may be behind hatchet job against him | Customs chief says drug rings behind smear drive

Mangaoang had accused Lapeña of “covering-up” for drug syndicates over the entry of more than 1-ton of shabu worth P6.8 billion into the country in August, while she and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Chief Aaron Aquino were insisting that the magnetic lifters found in Cavite contained illegal drugs.

READ: Customs official denies involvement with drug syndicates

In a House inquiry on Wednesday into the issue however, Lapeña finally gave in and said he now believes that the four magnetic lifters contained shabu.

READ: Lapeña backpedals, now thinks magnetic lifters contained ‘shabu’ | Lapeña flip-flops on smuggled drugs issue; Duterte orders Guban’s arrest

“Hindi ko po nakakausap si Presidente… Ayaw ko pong manawagan kay Commisioner Lapeña na mag-resign siya dahil nasa kanya po ‘yan pero si (former) Commissioner (Nicanor) Faeldon po, nahuli po nya ng droga hindi nakarating sa market pero may delicadeza siya nagresign siya,” Mangaoang said over a Radyo Inquirer interview.

(I have not talked to the President. I am not calling for the resignation of Commissioner Lapeña. Commissioner Faeldon had the delicadeza to resign)

“Ang masasabi ko po kay Presidente ay dapat mag-desisyon siya kung ano po ang dapat nyang gawin kay Lapeña at dahil pumalpak po ang X-ray division na under niya, responsible po siya… Pinagtatakpan niya at dinidepensahan niya ang mga drug syndicate,” she added.

(The President should decide on what is to be done with Lapeña because the X-ray division which is under his supervision had failed. He is responsible. He is covering-up and defending the drug syndicates)

During the House hearing, several lawmakers also discredited Mangaoang and questioned her credibility which she said was unfair.

Mangaoang lamented how lawmakers had insisted that she is talking against Lapeña because she was demoted to a “floating” position in the agency. Mangaoang has appealed the transfer.

READ: Solons question credibility of Customs whistleblower

Mangaoang added that she has been receiving death threats.

“Meron po sobra-sobra na po ang pinagdadaanan ko… sinasabi nila, they will destroy me, they will make my life miserable… Meron ding mga text na binabantaan ako,” Mangaoang recounted.

(They said they will destroy me. They will make my life miserable. I have also received threatening text messages)  /muf