Customs under military control ‘not perfect solution’ — Mangaoang

Lawyer Lourdes Mangaoang. INQUIRER.NET / CONSUELO MARQUEZ

The decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to place the Bureau of Customs (BoC) under the control of the Armed Forces of the Philippines “maybe partly a good solution but not the perfect one,” Customs Deputy Collector Lourdes Mangaoang claimed.

Mangaoang cited failures of the BoC during the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III, which resulted from placing retired military generals as deputy commissioner for intelligence and deputy collectors.

“Ang basis ko lang ‘yung nangyari noong time ni President Noynoy even at the time ni Faeldon. It’s not the complete solution, it may be partly a good one but it is not the perfect solution,” Mangaoang said in an interview over ANC Headstart.

For 30 years, Mangaoang has been with the BoC, an agency described by President Rodrigo Duterte as deeply corrupt.

READ: Duterte says Lapeña man of integrity; hits deeply corrupt Customs

Asked if it was better that military men were placed in key positions in the bureau, Mangaoang answered: “No. Definitely not.”

Mangaoang said that during this period, a port congestion occurred in the bureau which she blamed on the military men who were overseeing operations during that time.

“For the first time sa Bureau, there was port congestion kasi nga po yung mga military men na ginawang district collectors eh mga incompetent sa Customs. Of course magaling sila sa military pero when it comes to customs, procedures, ang tagal nila magrelease ng goods, alert sila nang alert,” she said.

Mangaoang claimed that the BoC never hit its target collection goals for 27 months straight during the time of Commissioner John Sevilla and the volume and value of smuggled goods were at its peak.

“Not a a single month did the bureau hit the target during the time of Commissioner Sevilla, not a single month straight for 27 months … there is a bank report which says that the volume and value of smuggled goods which entered the Philippines during the time of Aquino was the highest,” Mangaoang said.

Sevilla resigned the post in April 2015 citing intense political pressure, including one allegedly exerted by a local sect.

READ: BOC chief quits, cites politics

Meanwhile, Lapeña said that prior to his transfer out of the bureau, the Customs had been exceeding collection targets over the past few months because of measures he implemented to curb corruption.

President Duterte announced on Sunday evening that the military will be taking over the operations of the BoC temporarily due to corruption at the bureau.

The BOC has been drawing flak due to the alleged smuggling of P11 billion worth of shabu that supposedly slipped through security screening. /cbb

READ: Duterte puts Customs under military control