RESIGNED Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon on Thursday hit back at Senator Panfilo Lacson, accusing the senator’s son and namesake Panfilo Lacson Jr. of smuggling in cement worth billions of pesos.
In a press conference, Faeldon said that as a private citizen, he will file smuggling charges against the senator’s son for smuggling 67 shipment of cement belonging to a company named Bonjourno which he said is owned by Lacson Jr.
Faeldon came out with the expose after Senator Lacson said in his privilege speech that the former Customs chief received P100 million as “pasalubong” or a welcome gift when he assumed the post last year.
Lacson also claimed Faeldon and several high ranking Customs officials receive weekly “payola” or “tara” from big importers for the trouble-free release of their shipments.
Reacting to the allegations, Lacson said it would not make sense for him to expose Faeldon if he knew the former Customs commissioner had something to throw back at him or his son.
In a press conference, Lacson said he always reminded his son to be on the level in whatever business dealings he would have and said he would be the first to castigate him, and even file charges against him.
Lacson said he is willing to face any Senate investigation into Faeldon’s allegations.
“I’m not hiding anything and my son assured me that he’s not hiding anything,” Lacson said.
At his press conference, Faeldon said he had documents to show that Lacson’s son was smuggling in cement, with the first shipment containing 6,000 metric tons valued at P34 million coming in on July 12, 2016.
“Another shipment with 5,202 metric tons of cement valued at P29.3 million came on July 13 and a third on July 15, with 13,000 metric tons valued at P106 million. A fourth shipment was brought to Legaspi City, with 4,250 metric tons valued at P24 million,” he said.
Lacson Jr. owned an undervalued shipment of cement that Faeldon said he discovered during his first days in office.
“We discovered the smuggled shipment during [our] first 12 days of office in Customs,” Faeldon said.
Faeldon added that Lacson Jr. had only P20,000 in capital but his company—Bonjourno—was able to import billions of pesos’ worth of cement in 67 shiploads.
He also said Lacson Jr. wanted to pay only 50 percent of his freight cost.
Moreover, the Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines named Bonjourno as the biggest cement smuggler, Faeldon said.
“I guarantee you, Senator Lacson, the document your son presented to me wasn’t genuine,” Faeldon said.
Faeldon said the fact that Lacson Jr. was undervaluing his cargo was a clear case of smuggling.
He said that this is why Senator Lacson wanted him out of the bureau, because he was afraid that his son would be exposed.
Faeldon also suggested that the senator himself was somehow involved.
“We have now evidence sir. This is what you should worry about sir, because we are getting close to exposing you,” Faeldon said.
Faeldon also accused Lacson’s son of trying to bribe his staff when he personally brought money to the Custom’s office.
But Senator Lacson dared Faeldon to file charges against his son, saying it makes no sense for him to expose illegal activities at the BOC if his son were involved in smuggling.
“It doesn’t make sense that I will expose the shenanigans in the BOC, if my son is cheating on taxes as Faeldon is now accusing him of. The logical thing for me to do is not to make the exposé’ and just keep quiet,” Lacson said.
Lacson rejected Faeldon’s insinuation that he was somehow involved in Bonjourno.
“First, I have nothing to do with my son’s business activities; second, there is no smuggling of cement as it is not subject to customs tariff and duties but only subject to VAT, which my son said when I checked with him just now, they always pay; third, he should have filed charges against my son if he now says, he’s into smuggling,” he said.
“Fourth, it doesn’t make sense that I will expose the shenanigans in the BOC, if my son is cheating on taxes as Faeldon is now accusing him of. The logical thing for me to do is not to make the exposé and just keep quiet,” he added.
Lacson said he told his son to prepare all documents related to his business, following Faeldon’s allegations.
Lacson said after his privilege speech, Faeldon kept texting him, asking him at one point why he chose to destroy those who are not corrupt.
“I don’t know what he means by that, but I did not reply anymore. Until today [Thursday] while I was in the budget briefing [for the Defense Department], he has been calling and texting me. I no longer responded,” Lacson said.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon questioned the timing of Faeldon’s exposé.
“Why only now, 24 hours after Senator Lacson’s expose?” he said.
He branded Faeldon’s move as an “act of desperation.”
“I have full faith in the uprightness of Senator Lacson and his family,” Drilon said.
Without any evidence other than Faeldon’s allegations, Drilon said he would oppose any investigation.
“It will be a waste of time and will simply be used as a venue for character assassination,” he said.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. also asked why Faeldon did not lift a finger to act on the alleged smuggling activities of Lacson’s son when he was still head of Customs.
“Why would he attack only now after he was attacked by Senator Lacson?” he said.
“We have to make sure that this is not a diversionary [tactic] on the issue. And Faeldon should state everything he knows about every one involved in suspicious activities in Customs and not only concentrate his return fire on the person who exposed the tara system n BOC,” Pimentel said.
