Davao quarantine officer sacked for alleged extortion

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Duterte administration is on a roll, this time relieving a quarantine officer at the Sasa Port here for allegedly demanding grease money from banana exporters.

Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol on Sunday said that he received complaints from small exporters that Andres Alemania, quarantine officer of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) , and his men demand cash for every transaction.

“I immediately directed BPI Acting Director Vivencio Mamaril to issue a relief order,” Piñol said in a statement.

“On Monday, July 18, I will issue another directive to Director Mamaril to relieve the whole BPI Quarantine Service staff in Sasa Port down to the janitor and replace them with a fresh group of quarantine officers,” he added.

Piñol, however, explained that due process will be observed, including a careful investigation of the allegations.

“This week, I will dispatch graft investigators belonging to a new unit I organized in the Department of Agriculture to proceed to the Sasa Port in Davao City to validate the charges,” Piñol said.

He said the investigating team would cross-check the accusations with about 200 exporters of Cavendish banana.

“The going rate, according to sources I talked with, is P8,000 per container or P40,000 per exporter per transaction,” Piñol said.

He said the scheme might be extensive and the government’s response would include lifestyle checks and an official investigation from the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Considering that there are over 200 exporters, not to mention  huge players like Dole Philippines, Sumifru, Tadeco, Uni-Frutti and others, I can just imagine how much these people, granting that the charges are true, have been raking in all these years,” Piñol said.

He said this would serve as an example for all erring government employees.

“President Duterte’s vow to rid  of corrupt officials is not just cheap talk. It will be done. Learn, adapt, adjust or get fired,” Piñol said./rga