Biazon returns as police adviser

From customs commissioner to consultant on police good governance in just a matter of days.

Ruffy Biazon has returned to public service after he resigned from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Dec. 2, 2013, in the wake of the malversation and other charges filed against him in the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Department of Justice has charged him with receiving kickbacks from his pork barrel when he was congressman of Muntinlupa through a nongovernment organization of Janet Lim-Napoles, alleged brains of the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Biazon is now the private sector representative to the six-member Advisory Council of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

He took his oath as a council member on Dec. 11 last year.

In a text message to the Inquirer on Monday, Biazon said he “welcomed and accepted the invitation to be a part of the NCRPO Advisory Council because I saw it as an opportunity to continue the work I had done for my district (Muntinlupa) when I was a congressman.”

“One of the programs I focused on was peace and order in the community, which I believe is a crucial aspect of progress and development at the local level,” he said.

Biazon said he had “already established a good working relationship with the NCRPO, which was further enhanced by my stint in the Bureau of Customs that enabled me to tap into other sectors to help the PNP (Philippine National Police), particularly its various capability enhancement projects.”

As a council member, he said he could “help in the development of the PNP reform program, especially in the area of legislation.”

“Their policy changes necessitate some legislation action,” he added.

Other council members are Raul Addatu, dean of the Philippine School of Business Administration, representing the academe; Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, legislative sector; Ben Lim, president of RBL Fishing Corp., business sector; Rex Piad, special envoy on transnational crimes; and National Police Commissioner Luisito Palmera.

The council is “part of the PNP’s performance governance system,” said NCRPO Director Carmelo Valmoria.

The body helps “in guiding the direction of the command,” said the former commander of the elite PNP Special Action Force which joined the military in battling the Moro National Liberation Front in Zamboanga City in September.

“It also aims to sustain and improve the PNP’s peace and order agenda for transformation and upholding the rule of law,” Valmoria said, adding that the council “aims to make good governance a shared responsibility between the PNP and its stakeholders.”

On the day he left the BOC, Biazon said he was open to going back to public service.

He said, however, he would prefer a “less controversial post.”

“I’m always ready to render public service as long as there’s no hindrance,” he told reporters.

But Biazon was quick to add that he would never go back to the Bureau of Customs.

“I believe that in the BOC, once you’re out you don’t go back. What will you do that you have not done before? And I want to give fresh leadership a chance,” he said.

In an earlier interview, he said he had aspired to head the Department of Tourism. Instead, he was given the BOC by President Aquino.

“I was recruited for a mission. That’s how I looked at it. It was a mission,” he said.

Biazon said his stint at the BOC, which lasted a little over two years, was one of the most stressful jobs he ever had.

“It was stressful because so many interests were involved. There were so many aspects to do the job…. It had become an everyday struggle for me if I would continue serving in the BOC,” he said.

According to Biazon, he filed his irrevocable resignation to prevent the pork barrel controversy from being used against Aquino and to protect his own family, particularly his children.

He said his “decision to stay in a particular career is based mainly upon its effects on my family.”

Originally posted: 2:09 pm | Monday, January 6th, 2014

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