Backers of customs scalawags under watch

Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon. INQUIRER file photo

So he would not sally blindly into battle, new Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon has a “political map” identifying customs officials and their influential “padrinos” (backers) at the political minefield that is the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Biazon on Wednesday warned that he would make public the names of these padrinos, many of them politicians, if they insist on backing erring wards running afoul of the law.

“I have the guts to face any politician. Those who will back erring officials, I will name them if that happens,” Biazon told the Balitaan sa Aloha Hotel media forum.

He said it was his predecessor, Angelito Alvarez, who tipped him off as to who was “connected with whom” at the BOC, for his political map although he still has to personally validate the information.

“Most of them are high-level and involved in administration and policy,” Biazon said.

As a politician, Biazon said that he would know how to handle these padrinos should they call or come seeking favors.

“If a fellow politician approaches me, they will understand if I tell them, ‘You know that I have a job to do’ and I’m sure they will understand.”

He said he would appeal to the padrino to help him and not to make his job difficult for him, “if he does not agree, then we should share accountability.”

“It would even be a feather in their cap if they say, “That is my ward and if he does anything wrong, then you can deal with him’,” Biazon added.

The former Muntinlupa congressman said he even asked President Aquino if he owes his appointment to any group.

“I asked (the President): ‘Will there be anyone who will approach me later and say ‘We are responsible for your being in that post because we recommended you to P-Noy’?’” Biazon said.

P-Noy is President Aquino’s nickname.

“He said there was none. He said I was his personal choice and no one influenced him. No one recommended me to him,” he said.

According to Biazon, that was one of five questions he asked Mr. Aquino before accepting the appointment.

He said he asked why the President had chosen him, what his “parameters” were, what support he could expect from Malacañang and some concerns about his own personal safety.

Biazon said he would have turned down the BOC post if the President had not answered his questions “satisfactorily.”

He recalled asking Mr. Aquino, “Mr. President, what are my parameters? What can I do? What can I not do?”

“He [Mr. Aquino] answered that I should [focus on] revenue collection and achieve [the target], go after erring employees and smugglers move within the law, move within my mandate and follow the chain of command,” he said.

Those were the marching orders, which meant that the President was not protecting anybody, Biazon said.