Changes in Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) personnel have begun as Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña earlier declared.
At a December 5 press conference, Lapeña said CIIS officer-in-charge Wilkins Villanueva has rejoined the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) after a two-month BOC stint, noting that the return was based on “mutual understanding between me and the head of PDEA.”
PDEA “needs additional personnel” as it is the lead agency in the implementation of the Dangerous Drug Act, Lapeña said.
Asked what he thought of Villanueva’s performance as head of CIIS, Lapeña said: “It was still too early to say kasi two months pa lang siya. I cannot say with certainty kung ang kanyang (if his) performance is satisfactory.”
He noted that with Villanueva’s return to PDEA, his detail order to BOC has been terminated. Villanueva, former PDEA National Capital Region director, took his oath as OIC of CIIS last September 20. A replacement has yet to be announced.
The customs chief also reassigned all CIIS district commanders in all ports after they failed to provide intelligence reports since Lapeña took office on August 29.
“They are supposed to be giving information because that is their job,” he noted.
At a flag ceremony on November 27, Lapeña said he would be relieving members of CIIS, a unit under the Intelligence Group, as part of his “one-strike” policy at the customs bureau. He said the reports he has been receiving, such as misdeclaration and undervaluation of goods, have come from other BOC officials and not from CIIS executives, which he noted have not produced a single intelligence report since he took office. – Roumina Pablo
