Resigned Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon has asked for suppport for Isidro Lapena.
Lapena, who is the Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), was named by President Rodrigo Duterte as Faeldon's replacement at the Customs bureau.
"I thank everyone who has supported the BOC during my stay and I appeal to BOC employees and the public to support the new commissioner," Faeldon said in a statement.
He noted, "my continued stay in BOC is politically polarizing for the country, so the decision of the President is for the best."
Faeldon had submitted his resignation to Malacanang three times before the President decided to let him go.
Duterte said he still trusts Faeldon.
The BOC is embroiled in a new controversy following the smuggling of P 6.4 billion worth of shabu from China.
Faeldon is being blamed by some quarters for his alleged failure to stop the shipment.
Faeldon did not show up anymore at the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday.
Senators are investigating how the shipment of illegal drugs went past through the BOC last May.
Their questions zeroed in on the amount of grease money supposedly being given by some Customs brokers to some BOC officials so that the release of imported cargoes would be facilitated.
