Lacson calls Alvarez removal ‘unfair’

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson branded as “unfair” the removal from office of Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez.

“Personally, I would say it’s unfair that he’s being booted out. How long had he been there? One year,” Lacson said during Thursday’s forum in the Senate.

“It would be wrong if he tried to conceal the containers used in the modus operandi. Had he concealed that we would never know it. He would not expose it if he just wanted to earn money,” he said, referring to the missing container vans, which he suspects was one of the reasons why the Customs’ chief had been removed from his post.

But Lacson insisted that Alvarez has been doing his job and that he was just a victim of his own exposé  that boomeranged on him.

Asked if President Benigno Aquino should reconsider his decision about replacing Alvarez, the senator said, “No, it’s his call because he’s the appointing authority.”

“I don’t want to impose or even interfere with his prerogative as the appointing authority because he may have some good reasons why he removed (Alvarez) which we do not know,” Lacson added.