Former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon speaks during a news conference held at the covered court in Barangay Dolores, Palmera Hills 6, Taytay, Rizal, regarding the accusations of Senator Panfilo Lacson that he received P100 million welcome gift from smuggling syndicates.
INQUIRER PHOTO / NI脩O JESUS ORBETA
President Duterte supports all investigations of corruption allegations at the Bureau of Customs, including reports of payoffs to the outgoing BOC chief, Nicanor Faeldon, and the latter鈥檚 counterclaim that a senator鈥檚 son was involved in smuggling, Malaca帽ang said on Thursday.
Before replacing Faeldon as customs commissioner, Mr. Duterte said he believed him to be an honest man.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, in a privilege speech on Wednesday, accused Faeldon and several BOC officials of receiving payoffs.
Lacson also identified the 鈥渂ig players鈥� at the BOC who, he said, were enjoying the quick release of their shipments.
Faeldon, in turn, said the senator made the expos茅 to try to cover up for his son Panfilo Lacson Jr.鈥檚 involvement in cement smuggling.
Not named
Asked why he did not name Isabelo Tibayan Jr. and Toto Sevilla as among BOC officials getting millions in payoffs as mentioned by customs 鈥渇ixer鈥� Mark Taguba in the Senate, Lacson said Tibayan was 鈥渕entioned in only one list and we tried to validate his聽 鈥榯ara鈥� (payola) inclusion for two days before my privilege speech.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the reason why I and my staff didn鈥檛 include him since we were not confident unlike on the others,鈥� the senator said.
Lacson said Sevilla was not mentioned in any of the lists given to him but added he would check the name again after he concludes his hearing on the case of Kian delos Santos, the 17-year-old boy killed in an antidrug operation in Caloocan City.
Abella said Mr. Duterte would back efforts to look into these claims and the Palace would not interfere with any of the inquiries.
鈥淥f course, the President will support all investigations,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e expect that the [Department of Finance] and the new BOC chief will give due consideration to Senator Lacson鈥檚 speech for example鈥� the justice department and the Ombudsman to [file] graft charges,鈥� he added.
As for Faeldon鈥檚 allegation against the younger Lacson, he said this had to be verified.
鈥楧avao Group鈥�
Lacson鈥檚 speech about the BOC payoffs came amid congressional inquiries into alleged irregularities in the bureau, including supposed payoffs to a 鈥淒avao Group.鈥�
The name of the President鈥檚 son, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, has also been dragged into the issue.
Taguba testified in the Senate that he paid P5 million to Davao City Councilor Nilo 鈥淪mall鈥� Abellera Jr. to facilitate the release of his shipments.
Taguba also read his text message to a certain Tita Nani about his 鈥渆nrollment鈥� in the tara system, and the latter said she would make the arrangement with a certain Jack, the 鈥渉andler of Paolo.鈥�
The same text message also mentioned the arrangement of a meeting with 鈥淧ulong,鈥� Paolo鈥檚 nickname. 鈥�WITH A REPORT FROM CHRISTINE O. AVENDA脩O