President Rodrigo Duterte will terminate 64 officials and employees of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) due to alleged involvement in illegal activities.
“You resign, or I’ll file charges,” Duterte said in a speech during an event in Malacañang on July 11.
Duterte said he would like to meet with the 64 customs officials and employees in on July 15 while their cases are being heard by the Ombudsman.
“I will be asking them to report here. From the sources I have commissioned, I would have cut corruption by a third or ½,” he said.
The Chief executive’s statement came after he directed the “freezing” of more than 50 high-ranking officials and employees of BOC who face administrative and criminal charges due to alleged unlawful activities.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on July 10 said names of the involved Customs officials and employees “would be disclosed at the appropriate time.”
“The President’s latest action underscores this Administration’s zero tolerance on corruption among erring officials,” Panelo added.
In a press briefing on July 11, clarified that Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero will not be part of the freezing order.
In a speech at an event on July 5, Duterte, while talking about dealing with corruption, said “there will be a lot of dismissals I hope” in BOC. Last July 9, Panelo, in a media briefing, said Duterte still trusts Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
“I think so because he [Duterte] has not mentioned anything about him [Guerrero]. Wala namang binabanggit sa kanya,” Panelo said.
In 2018, Duterte had put BOC personnel on floating status to give then incoming Customs commissioner Guerrero leeway to appoint his own people.
