Lito Alvarez and the golf tournament

During a dinner meeting two months ago, a Malacañang official told me Customs Commissioner Lito Alvarez was on his way out because either he could not contain corruption at the bureau or he was involved in it.

The latter is hard to prove, of course.

But a congressional investigation into the loss of 2,900 container vans seems to show that Alvarez not only knows about the illegal activities of his subordinates, he tolerates these as well.

The container vans were supposedly lost in transit from the Port of Manila (POM) and the Manila International Container Port (MICP) to the Port of Batangas from January to June this year.

The container vans, supposedly for transshipment to the Batangas Port, never reached their destination.

The government lost billions of pesos in revenues as the disappearance was a “swing” job, meaning no duties and taxes were paid on the cargoes.

For crying out loud, Alvarez professed ignorance of the loss!

How could a large number of cargoes get out of the two ports without him knowing about it?

Alvarez’s executive assistant, Cesar Manuel, whose job is to place or lift hold-orders on cargoes leaving the POM and MICP, cleared the container vans for release.

Manuel was brought in by Alvarez from the outside and is therefore a very trusted subordinate.

This means that if Manuel cleared the container vans for release, Alvarez had given him the go-signal.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that.

Besides, all transshipment cargoes coming from the POM and MICP on their way to other ports, like Batangas, are escorted by customs policemen.

It’s impossible for those containers to have been waylaid during transit since the hijackers had to contend with armed guards.

* * *

Alvarez made a scapegoat of Batangas Port Collector Juan Tan whom he relieved from his post.
That was stupid since the cargoes never reached Batangas!

Alvarez should have relieved the POM and MICP collectors instead.

He should also have relieved the chief of the X-ray section through which those containers should have passed.

Alvarez is washing his hands at the expense of an innocent guy, Juan Tan.

* * *

The Malacañang official, who told me two months ago of Alvarez’s impending relief, was approached by the latter when he was newly appointed customs chief.

Alvarez told the Palace official that he was aware of an arrangement during the Arroyo administration wherein a large sum was set aside monthly by the Bureau of Customs for Malacañang.

Alvarez told the Palace official he wanted to continue the arrangement.

He was rebuffed.

In another instance, Alvarez again went to the Palace official and suggested that all ports in the country be opened to “players”—smugglers in customs lingo.

The Palace official apparently didn’t know what “players” meant—or he took the word to mean importers—and replied that so long as he collected revenues, it was okay.

Alvarez gathered all port collectors and told them about the “open port” policy for smugglers.

The Malacañang official said the report reached him and he chewed out Alvarez for being presumptuous.

* * *

Had President Noy listened to Senator Tito Sotto, things would have turned out differently at the Bureau of Customs.

Sotto, a golf enthusiast, opposed Alvarez’s appointment since, he claims, the latter cheated in a golf tournament.

Golf is a gentleman’s game and he who cheats in it is likely to cheat in other things.