Lacson says Taguba’s presentation validates corruption in BOC

“Sa atin, tayong mga Pilipino, ang pinaka-mapanganib na tao yung tanga na nagdudunung-dunungan at yung korap na naglilinis-linisan.”

(For us Filipinos, the most dangerous person is the one who is stupid but playing clever and the one who is corrupt but playing spotless.)

This was Senator Panfilo Lacson’s disappointment as fixer Mark Taguba II’s revealed on Monday the breakdown of the “tara” he supposedly gave to Bureau of Customs (BOC) officers, including text messages, call logs and withdrawals proving the anomalous transactions.

“That’s all I can say. You can make conclusions kung sino yung tinutukoy ko,” Lacson said during the Senate blue ribbon committee investigation on the P6.4 billion shabu shipment from China that slipped past the BOC.

(That’s all I can say. You can make conclusions as to who I am referring to.)

Lacson had previously cited former BOC Chief Nicanor Faeldon’s “blabbering” about the lack of evidence to prove corruption at the BOC.

But the senator asserted that the text messages and call logs presented by Taguba are enough evidence to prove the corruption in the bureau.

“Si commissioner Faeldon keeps on blabbering about the absence of evidence to prove corruption at Customs bureau. Now, after we all witnessed the power point presentation presented by Taguba, the question will be repeated, is there corruption in the BOC?” Lacson said.

“Text messages won’t lie, call logs won’t lie. Ano pa bang ebidensya ang gusto ni Mr. Faeldon na meron talagang korapsyon sa Customs?” Lacson also asked.

Lacson urged new BOC Chief Isidro Lapeña to institute reforms at the agency and do away with the corruption inside it.

“Ganito yung kalakaran eh. Walang semblance of decency. Ang iniisip lang pera,” Lacson said.

(This is the trend. There’s no semblance of decency. It’s all about the money.)

“Baguhin naman natin yung BOC para hindi nakakahiya na isa sa pinaka-korap na ahensya ang Customs,” Lacson told Lapeña.

(Let us change the BOC so that it would not be shameful that one of the most corrupt agencies is the Customs.)    /kga