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Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr were identified as among the personalities acting as “padrinos” or godfathers to some ranking officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) who do not wish to be removed or reassigned somewhere else.
According to a an unimpeachable source of The Manila Times, Ochoa, touted as the “Little President,” and Belmonte, the fourth most powerful official in the country, have been protecting people at the bureau.
Belmonte and Ochoa “are among the government officials who act as power brokers and protectors to ensure that their men at the Bureau of Customs remain in their posts,” the source, whose credibility is beyond question, said.
He noted that Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) Collector Ricardo “Boysie” Belmonte is a brother of the Speaker, while Customs Deputy Commissioner Peter Manzano is Ochoa’s man in the agency.
“There are many in the bureau who have their own backers,” he added.
The source mentioned Customs Intelligence and Investigation Division chief director Fernandino Tuazon, Deputy Commissioner Horacio Suansing, deputy commissioner Prudencio Reyes, Port of Manila Collector Rogel Gatchalian, NAIA District Collector Ding So, X-Ray Division chief Collector Mimi Talusan and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) chief Richard Rebong.
Last January, Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon ordered a reshuffle of officials to include Belmonte and Gatchalian. But the source said the two, who are among the so-called “three kings” at the bureau, have not been dislodged despite failing miserably in curbing corruption and hitting their target collections.
The source said Tuazon also enjoys Ochoa’s protection.
Tuazon is among those being investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the controversial 2,000 containers loaded with highly taxable goods worth P2bn that disappeared on the way from the Port of Manila and Manila International Container Port to the Port of Batangas.
But even then, Tuazon got his present post following the retirement of Director Filomeno Vicencio.
Suansing was former Port of Manila collector. He is from Iloilo and a close relative of Sen Miriam Defensor Santiago. Gatchalian is reportedly a protégé of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, while Talusan is related to the Singsons of Ilocos Sur.
Reyes, So and Rebong were reportedly being supported by a powerful religious sect.
Rebong is also one the controversial officials at the bureau. Before his appointment as CIIS chief, he was an “Intelligence Officer 1” with a salary grade of 8.
But Rebong was promoted to CIIS chief with a salary grade 25 or 17 degrees higher.
Last year, the Civil Service Commission issued a decision ousting Rebong as CIIS chief for being “unqualified.” The CSC order has not been carried out.
Reached for comment, Speaker Belmonte said he is not worried that his name was dragged into the controversy as he called on those who have evidence to prove their allegations to come out.
“I don’t feel alluded to at all. I have never talked to either one of them for any reason whatsoever. I challenge them to name names,” Belmonte said in a text message to the Times. He was referring to resigned Customs deputy commissioners Danilo Lim and Juan Lorenzo Tañada.
It was Lim who disclosed that “there are many ‘powerful forces’ in the bureau” who intervene in the agency’s affairs. He said that he had requested on at least six occasions to be transferred to another agency but Ochoa kept on telling him ‘stay put’ because the bureau still needed his services.
He also said that he intends to wait for the decision of President Benigno Aquino 3rd, before he decides to take on the next step.
Tañada confirmed in a radio interview also on Thursday that “political backers” exist in Customs.
In Malacañang, officials said the Aquino government will be implementing a “wide-ranging reform” in the Customs bureau that will spare no one.
“The president always said we will go wherever the evidence leads. The president’s order is clear —nobody will be spared,” Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press conference.
He noted that all issues will be answered once the reforms to combat corruption in the BOC are implemented.