MANILA, Philippines—There are some names one should just not drop.
Deputy Customs Commissioner for Intelligence Danilo Lim is planning to post at the Bureau of Customs the “mug shots” of individuals caught dropping the names of BOC officials to demand “tara” or bribes from people transacting business with the bureau.
Lim discovered that some persons were dropping not just his name and that of his chief of staff but also that of Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon.
“I’m thinking of posting their mug shots just like they do for shoplifters at the malls,” Lim said in an interview.
Last month, Lim’s men caught two individuals at the Manila International Container Port who were using his name to solicit a bribe.
“I had them arrested and their pictures taken. They now have mug shots and are banned from the BOC,” Lim said.
He admitted, however, that charges could not be filed against the two men–who had links to the defunct Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group–due to lack of evidence.
“It’s hard to pin them down. They will not admit it unless they are caught in the act,” Lim said. “So I had them banned from the BOC premises instead.”
Aside from Biazon’s and his names, Lim said individuals were also dropping the name of his chief of staff, retired General Reynaldo Ordoñez.
Lim has issued a memo reminding BOC employees that bribery is punishable under the law.
“Let it be public knowledge that I neither asked for tara nor appointed anyone to solicit either for myself or for my office,” Lim said in the memo.
“To all concerned, beware: Bribery is a crime. All other related crimes that are a result of bribery have corresponding severe penalties under the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines,” he added.
“This authority will not hesitate to seek the harshest penalty under (the law), if the condition is called for and necessary.”