Customs chief Alvarez says he will not resign

MANILA, Philippines—Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said he would not resign and would only leave his post once there is already a replacement “on board.”

“I will not resign. I will not make my detractors happy,” Alvarez said.

“I have served with humility and integrity until such time that the President [Benigno Aquino III] will tell me to stop because there is already a replacement on board,” Alvarez said at a press conference Thursday at the Department of Justice.

“I have served at the pleasure of the President and as a presidential appointee, I can be replaced anytime. The best that I can do is to perform,” he added.

Alvarez hinted that there is a politician calling for his resignation. He added that with a lot of investigations he ordered at the Bureau of Customs, the demolition job against him was expected.

He revealed that he was also receiving death threats, the last of which was a text message telling him: “Mag-ingat ka, natutulog na pinipilit mo pang gisingin [You be careful, somebody’s sleeping already and you insist on waking him up].”

He said rumors that he will be replaced floated as early as three months ago with possible replacements such as former Internal Revenue Commissioner Liwayway Chato, Beth Lee, former General Gaudencio Pangilinan and now former lawmaker Ruffy Biazon.