Faeldon offered to quit 3 times, says Duterte

Nicanor Faeldon

President Duterte on Thursday revealed that former mutineer Nicanor Faeldon had written him thrice asking to be removed as head of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for failing to rid the bureau of corruption.

Mr. Duterte said he found the letters to be telling as far as Faeldon’s integrity as BOC head was concerned.

The President, however, acknowledged that his attempt to rid the BOC of corruption by appointing Faeldon had failed simply because the BOC was “corrupt to the core.”

In a speech in Ozamiz City, Mr. Duterte said that Faeldon “has been telling me he did not fulfill his job” of cleansing the BOC.

But the President said he understood Faeldon’s predicament.

“Compared to an X-rated movie, the BOC is hard core in terms of corruption,” said Mr. Duterte.

The President said he felt bad, though, that the BOC had failed him in his war on drugs. He said he thought the bureau would be one of his partners in the campaign against drugs.

“Now I know I was wrong,” Mr. Duterte said.