THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) will decide on the fate of Port Operations Service (POS) chief Prudencio Reyes after a cabinet revamp by President Benigno Aquino III.
Reyes was recently appointed Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence but his assumption into office is now on hold. The former administrator of the Local Water Utilities Administration in 2000, he was charged with graft by his subordinates over the P600-million Baguio Water Supply System Project.
In 2009, the Second Division of the Supreme Court ruled he should be suspended for a year or fined with the equivalent of one year’s salary for abuse of authority and acting in bad faith when he transferred subordinates who filed the case.
"As of now, Reyes is still the director of the POS. He has been considered, we have to admit, for the position of Dep Com for Intelligence but there’s a problem — he has an administrative case," said Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez.
"Reyes would have to give his explanation to Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and it is the job of the finance secretary to give a report to the President. It is also too early to look for another candidate. I’ve been able to wait for six months; I can wait another week."
He added, "If you remember, he has been on the job for two years so my expectation is that he has covered all the clearances. It really came as a big surprise to me also," Alvarez explained when asked if he was aware of the case against Reyes before appointing him deputy commissioner.
In the meantime, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service director Filomeno Vicencio, Jr is the acting Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence.
