Bad luck or a curse?

"What will it take for the Bureau of Customs to change?"

I could not believe what I heard. President Duterte reportedly said that what happened in Recto Bank was just “a little maritime incident” because nobody died.

Santa Banana, didn’t the President realize that after the Filipino boat sank, 22 crew members were in the water calling for help? The Chinese trawler abandoned them.

How could it be a “little maritime incident” when both the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority both said that what happened was a serious maritime casualty?

It appears the President does not really want to displease his Chinese friends. He claimed he and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands to allow Chinese fisherman to fish in Recto Bank. But the Constitution says only Filipinos can partake of resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone. It’s just unbelievable!

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“Luck is what happens when preparations meet the occasion.”

At the rate the Bureau of Customs is going on a streak of bad luck, it takes with it the reputation of military men who are supposed to be effective administrators of government agencies.

If we are to go by the adage, there was obviously no preparation for the job when it comes to retired military officers Nicanor Faeldon and Isidro Lapeña. Both were handpicked by the President to run the controversial bureau: Faeldon on June 30, 2016 and Lapeña on Aug. 30, 2017.

Both men fell short of expectations. They were eventually axed.

This should have prompted the President to look beyond the Armed Forces of the Philippines for a new Customs head. But no, in October 2018, Duterte appointed another military man, Ray Borja Guerrero on the belief that generals are honest and disciplined.

Unfortunately, honesty and discipline are hard to come by. Wasn’t President Duterte aware of the fact that during the time of President Magsaysay, 300 cadets from the Philippine Military Academy were brought in to stop corruption at Customs? After a while, the cadets themselves were corrupted.

Worse, the AFP has been found by no less than the Commission on Audit as one of the most corruption-prone agencies. The talk is that when top officials are appointed, they get a “pasalubong.” When they retire, they get “pabaon.” Recall how General Angelo Reyes took his own life.

There are many other sources of corruption in the military. For example, there is the purchase of supplies—boots, uniforms, helmets, firearms and ammunition. Even fire extinguishers, my gulay!

But back to the BOC. There is talk that heads could again be rolling as the President is unimpressed at what has been happening—or not happening.

So will the President pick from among the list of AFP retirees again? Why is he so convinced of the integrity of these people? Santa Banana, he has even threatened to place the BOC under AFP control!

It would make sense to consider those who are already knowledgeable about the processes at the bureau. This includes valuation, duties and other intricacies.

I covered Customs when I was business editor of the Philippines herald. It takes anywhere between six months and one year to learn how the BoC operates. It’s a constant cat-and-mouse game against the smugglers!

Ultimately, only the privatization can reverse the bureau’s bad luck.

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I like it when President Duterte and his spokesman Salvador Panelo try to get out of a hole they have dug for themselves.

The President said that in his coming State of the Nation Address, he will educate the people on the constitutionality of his handshake with the Chinese President on allowing Chinese fishermen to fish in our exclusive waters. Now comes Panelo eager to debate international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney on the case of Maria Ressa. We all know Clooney cannot practice the law here—that’s why Panelo is so brave.

There is also the issue of endorsements for House Speaker. The President insists these endorsements do not amount to interference with Congress. He claims he is not undermining congressional independence.

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The President wants Congress to fast-track charter change, now that he has endorsed two Speakers of the House of Representatives.

Amendments to the Constitution are long overdue, but there remain many questions. Will this Cha-Cha be an overhaul of the entire system of government?

I think Congress should focus on economic provisions, like opening up ownership to foreign investors. Our present laws are so restrictive.

I wonder—how will the changes be introduced?

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I will have another eye operation tomorrow. This means I will skip my column next week.

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