I have been watching the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe on the P6.4-billion smuggling of shabu from China, which went through the express lane at the Bureau of Customs. Later it was found at a warehouse in Valenzuela.
I also watched a similar inquiry by House of Representatives committee on dangerous drugs headed by Surigao Rep. Ace Barbers.
Both inquiries are supposed to be in aid of legislation. I kept asking myself—what legislation is needed to stop smuggling and to eradicate corruption at the bureau?
I think that even if St. Michael becomes a Customs commissioner, smuggling and corruption will not stop. For as long as people at Customs have feet of clay, and so long as there is a certain amount of human discretion in the entry and valuation of imports, corruption will persist.
I can only recall that time when the late President Ramon Magsaysay tried to end corruption at the bureau. He placed some 400 cadets of the Philippine Military Academy, who are supposed to be young and idealistic. My gulay, soon enough, the cadets became corrupted anyway.
A well-known BoC chief once said to me: “You know, Emil, as a Customs chief, my work is 24/7. It is a cat-and-mouse game. I can never stop smuggling here because I must rest on Saturdays and Sundays. While I try my best to stop smuggling, it is not a one-man job.”
This is why I keep wondering if there is any wisdom at all in conducting these congressional investigations.
Take for instance the exchange of words between Gordon and Senator Antonio Trillanes, wth the latter insisting that the President’s son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, and son-in-law Maneses Carpio, are involved in smuggling.
Trillanes obviously wants to implicate the President, but Gordon would not have it because it is all pure hearsay.
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What can congressional investigations do, anyway? Recall that probe into the death of 44 members of the Special Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The Senate committee headed by Senator Grace Poe found out that BS Aquino was ultimately responsible for the massacre, the Ombudsman just ignored the Senate finding and simply charged Aquino with usurpation of authority and graft.
My gulay, how could BS Aquino be less guilty than then-suspended Police Chief Alan Purisima who headed Oplan Exodus, and even former SAF chief Getulio Napeñas who merely implemented the plan ordered by Aquino?
I am not saying that congressional investigations are useless. But these have become in aid of someone’s political agenda.
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I believe that the Bureau of Customs can only be cleansed if it is run by the private sector. Other ports around the world have the same problem and now they have privatized their Customs management, getting rid of corruption and smuggling and more importantly achieving their targets in revenue collection.
The committee of Rep. Barbers has recommended the abolition of Customs. Indeed when money is involved, corruption prevails.
The only way to go to stop corruption at Customs is to bid out its services and collection targets.
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Before Mocha Uson got appointed as assistant secretary for communications, she wanted the Presidential Communication Operations Office to accredit her to cover President Duterte. She never got to first base because she was just a blogger. The Malacanang Press Corp objected to the idea.
But, when Uson got appointed to the PCOO, her boss Secretary Martin Andanar issued Department Order 15 known as Interim Social Media Accreditation for all social media practitioners provided they have at least 5,000 followers.
There are two prime beats for journalists: Malacanang ang the foreign affairs office. Obviously, Andanar thinks that since there are more bloggers and social media personalities supporting President Duterte, it’s all for the benefit of his boss. He seems to forget that in the process, he is insulting mainstream journalists.
Point 1: If bloggers with at least 5,000 followers can get accredited to cover the President, why should students still study journalism when they can just put up their blogs?
Point 2: If bloggers resort to fake news, how will they be made accountable?
Point 3: If bloggers abuse their privileges, is the withdrawal of their accreditation by the PCOO even enough?