Philippine Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña has ordered the reshuffle and re-assignment of several district collectors of big Bureau of Customs (BOC) ports.
In Customs Personnel Order (CPO) No. B-52-2017 signed September 11, Lapeña “in the interest of service” re-assigned Atty. Vincent Philip Maronilla as Manila International Container Port (MICP) district collector to BOC’s Compliance Monitoring Unit (CMU).
Atty. Ruby Claudia Alameda was designated OIC of MICP, concurrent to her current position of deputy collector of the same port district.
Atty. Ma. Rhea Gregorio was also re-assigned to CMU, from being the acting district collector of Port of Manila (POM).
Atty. Ernelito Aquino, deputy collector of Port of Manila, has been assigned OIC of POM, concurrent to his current position.
CMU was created in 2014 to check compliance of various BOC divisions with customs laws, regulations, and issuances. It performs tasks to be assigned by the Customs chief, and upon request, shall also assist the commissioner, deputy commissioners, and other Customs officials in drafting, reviewing, and revising Customs regulations and issuances.
In a press conference on September 20, Lapeña introduced Aquino as the new district collector of POM.
Lapeña said the movements in personnel was effective immediately and will last until revoked.
The customs chief, during the press conference, said he has ordered the movement because “the guidance that we gave them (officials transferred) when I assumed as the head of the Bureau of Customs was not followed.”
Lapeña said while district collectors Maronilla and Gregorio followed the no tara (grease money) order, they did not follow the correct valuation on shipments passing through their ports.
Correct valuation is one of the orders Lapeña gave to district collectors in order to increase revenue collection and hit this year’s target of P468 billion.
“I had to move them because I need collectors who will follow the guidance that is being given by the commissioner,” he added.
The BOC chief, in a press briefing on Sept 13, said he has directed the relief of two district collectors for continuous failure to hit revenue collection targets and for not implementing correct valuation on cargoes at their ports.
Lapeña said this should serve as a warning to other port collectors “who will not do their share to improve revenue collection.”
Meanwhile, Lapeña said that Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) National Capital Region director Wilkins Villanueva will be the new director of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, which was vacated following the resignation of Neil Anthony Estrella. PDEA Region 7 director Yogi Felimon Ruiz will be the director of BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service.
Villanueva and Ruiz both assumed office on September 20.
PDEA Plans and Operations Service director Gladys Rosales will be designated as deputy commissioner for Internal Administration Group. – Roumina Pablo
