Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara. INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines –Neophyte Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Tuesday backed a congressional inquiry into the alleged “padrino system” at the Bureau of Customs, saying it was high time to put an end to the bureau’s practice of “political patronage.”
“We are very much willing to hold a Senate probe along with the blue ribbon committee and finance committee as proposed by Senator (Francis) Escudero,” Angara said in a statement.
He was reacting to Escudero’s resolution, calling for a joint investigation by the Senate blue ribbon, finance, and ways and means committees, on the alleged “padrino system” in the bureau.
Angara and Escudero head the ways and means, and finance committees, respectively while Senator Teofisto Guingona chairs the blue ribbon committee.
“President Aquino’s message is loud and clear and that is to cleanse the bureau of corrupt, inept, and rotten officials and rank and file,” Angara said.
“With no less than the President as the number one backer for institutional reforms, this is really the best time to put a stop to all this political patronage practice that has allegedly plagued the agency for many years now.”
“The time is now to erase the perception that the BOC stands for Bureau of Corruption, instead of its original name,” the neophyte senator added.
As chairman of the ways and means committee, Angara vowed to closely monitor if the BOC would be able to meet its revenue targets this year.
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