Despite row, BOC Cebu earns P118M

THE Bureau of Customs in the port of Cebu under acting district collector Paul Alcazaren was able to raise P118 million during his first three days in office.

However, confusion as to who is the real boss at the BOC in Cebu remains with Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, Deputy Collector for Assessment, still insisting that she is the rightful official to take the helm of the revenue agency.

¨It is a demotion. It is like we have a colonel or a general reporting to a captain. I was his (Alcarazen) former boss,” she added.

Mangaoang said the memorandum that designated Alcazaren as the officer-in-charge of BOC Cebu was reportedly disapproved by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. The BOC is an agency under the DOF.

She showed the media a one-page document dated September 27, 2013 that designated Alcazaren and 16 other as acting port collectors nationwide.

The paper was purportedly signed by Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon, but the portion where Purisima was supposed to affix his signature was crossed out. The word “Disapproved” in large letters was also stamped on the memorandum, which didn’t have a circular number and a document tracking mark.

When asked where she got the document, Mangaoang said, “Secret.”

¨The memorandum was only signed by the commissioner but this was not approved by Secretary Purisima so it means this memorandum was disapproved,¨ she told the reporters.

But Alcazaren said he will not leave his post unless there is an order from Biazon.

¨If this order was not approved by the Department of Finance (DOF), then why did he (Purisima) not call my attention when in fact, it has been a week since I assumed this post?¨ Alcazaren said.

He also does not want to jeopardize the operations at BOC Cebu as they need to hit the P756 million target for the month of October.