MANILA, Philippines — The claim of Senator Panfilo Lacson that the ‘tara’ or payola system is still active at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has basis, former BOC chief Isidro Lapeña said Wednesday.
“Yung privilege speech ni Senator Lacson, I would say na has basis, yung sinabi niya,” Lapeña when asked to comment on Lacson’s revelation last week.
Lapeña added that the situation inside the BOC is “hard” but it is something “that can be addressed and reformed.”
In his privilege speech last May 29, Lacson said the “tara” system is still being practiced by the agency like it was “business-as-usual.”
This despite his revelation in 2017 that Customs officials and employees collected payola, known as “tara” of up to P71,700 for each shipment smuggled through the BOC.
READ: Lacson: BOC still practices ‘Tara’ system
Lapeña, who served as Customs chief for more than a year said Lacson’s privilege speech also did not mention the existence of “tara” during his watch at the BOC.
According to Lapeña, he reformed the policies of the BOC during his term. This was the reason the BOC posted a high revenue collection in 2018, he said.
“Noong privilege speech ni Senator Lacson, wala siyang nabanggit na nag-tara during my time. I would like to state that during my time, we have the highest revenue collection in the history of customs,” he said.
“Yung ginagawa namin na pamamaraan para mareporma ay naging epekibo by the revenue collection alone. That would indicate na naging epektibo yung aming sistema by that time,” he added.
It will be recalled that the President removed Lapeña from the BOC in October 2018 and transferred him to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) as its Director General.
Prior to his transfer, Lapeña came under fire because of the P11 billion worth of shabu that was allegedly smuggled into the country and was allegedly not detected by Customs in August last year. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)
READ: Lapeña out of Customs but named Tesda chief with Cabinet rank