Knights in shining armor at BoC, BI
Newly appointed Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon will surely do an excellent job of minimizing corruption at the Bureau of Customs with the help of a fellow new appointee, former Brig. Gen. Danny Lim.
Lim, a West Point graduate, was such a no-nonsense military officer he took part in several coup attempts because he was disgusted with the way the government was being run before.
Lim has been appointed deputy customs commissioner for intelligence, a lucrative position to those before him who held the same position.
If I know Lim, he will not be tempted into receiving bribe money.
I’ve followed his career since he was just a captain at the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment.
He is a man of impeccable honesty and integrity.
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Biazon promises to expose the padrinos, or backers, of corrupt customs officials whom he will reassign.
Let’s see if he can expose certain Malacañang officials and politicians who are the benefactors of some corrupt customs officials.
Let’s see if he can expose a religious group that is backing the bureau’s most corrupt customs collector who lives in a P300-million mansion and drives luxury cars to work.
Let’s see if he can revamp the entire bureau without howls of protest from Malacañang officials and employees.
If Biazon and Lim can revamp the corrupt customs bureaucracy without hindrance from people “upstairs,” then they can really clean up the customs bureau.
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I understand that Biazon and Lim have sought the advice of retired Lt. Gen. Salvador Mison, who was customs commissioner during the time of President Cory Aquino, on how to deal with corruption in the bureau.
Mison, who’s now chief executive officer (CEO) of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies, told them to find a happy balance between being very strict with smugglers and imposing “reasonable” tariff on certain luxury items so revenues will keep flowing in.
Mison said corruption cannot be eliminated overnight but can only be minimized.
To paraphrase whistleblower Jun Lozada, the two graft-busters can only moderate the greed of corrupt customs officials and employees but cannot completely get rid of it.
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Newly appointed Associate Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison, whose task is to help his chief clean up the Bureau of Immigration, is up against some old fogeys who refuse to change.
Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David and Mison were recently charged administratively by a subordinate, Felino Quirante, for relieving him of his post. Quirante was administrative officer of the immigration bureau.
Reacting to the complaint, the 35-year-old Mison wrote Quirante, 59, a note asking for a conference “to discuss a very urgent or confidential matter which can only transpire within the confines of my office.”
Quirante wrote back to his superior and the note read: “Pls see me in my office. I want a neutral ground for the meeting.”
What gall!
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A little background on Mison, son of General Mison.
The young Mison, a graduate of West Point, is a lawyer who teaches Wills and Succession at the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law.
He gave one of his students, Dato Arroyo, the youngest child of then President Gloria and Mike Arroyo, a failing mark.
He didn’t change Dato’s grade even if one of those who interceded for the student was then Presidential Legal Adviser Renato Corona, now the Chief Justice.
Rebuffed, Dato transferred to the Ateneo de Naga and eventually ran for Congress in Bicol and won.
Indirectly, Mison placed Dato Arroyo where he is now.
