Faeldon claims 2 senators made ‘illegal requests’

Former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon has named at least two senators, including his “idol,” who had allegedly made “illegal requests” when he was still at the helm of the Bureau of Customs (BoC).

Faeldon identified the two legislators — Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III — when Senator Bam Aquino asked him during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Monday if there were politicians who had made “illegal requests” from him.

“I’d like to apologize to the following Senators dahil wala po kayo dito. I’m apologizing to you because I did not approve their requests,” the former Customs official said.

Faeldon recalled that in 2016, Drilon had requested to meet with him at the Senate twice and asked him to sign a memorandum of agreement (MoA) between the BoC and the office of National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairperson, Serena Diokno.

The MoA, he said, would be for the renovation of a BoC house in Iloilo, which would be converted into a museum, and the BoC will only occupy its third floor.

Faeldon said he refused to sign the MoA until their third meeting where he said he “forcibly changed” the provisions of the agreement.

“So I’m sorry Senator Drilon wala ka dito but that’s exactly what transpired,” he said.

Also in 2016, Faeldon said Sotto personally asked him to appoint a BOC official, Erik Albano, as director of intelligence.

“Idol kita Tito Sen, pasensya na ha pero this is illegal as far as I’m concerned,” Faeldon said. “As early as 2016, twice, personally he asked me to appoint one official of the Bureau of Customs as the director of (intelligence).”

But Aquino came to the defense of the two senators.

“Parang hindi naman ho yata ganun ka-illegal na nagre-recommend ka ng tao o meron kang project na gustong matuloy,” he said.

But Faeldon insisted, saying such requests were causing “demoralization” in the agency.

“Para sa akin form of corruption na po ‘yang mga ganyan…” he added.                  /kga