Duterte removes Lapeña from Customs, moves him to TESDA; also fires all Customs commissioners, dep’t heads

 

President Rodrigo Duterte speaking at the 117th anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) at the PCG Headquarters in Port Area, Manila on October 25, 2018. (Photo grabbed from RTVM video)

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, Oct. 25, removed Isidro Lapeña as Bureau of Customs commissioner, replacing him with Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) administrator Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

He also ordered the new Bureau of Customs chief, Guerrero, to remove from their key positions all commissioners and department heads of the bureau. He said that these personnel should be placed on “floating status” and that it does not matter that if this will result in the delays in the bureau’s operations.

“The commissioners are out. The department heads are out,” he told Guerrero during the 117th anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) at the PCG Headquarters in Port Area, Manila on October 25, 2018.

“Out lahat.. to the last man,” the President said.

Duterte moved Lapeña to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) where he will serve as the director general.

Safe yung trabaho ng TESDA,” he said.

“I’m sure that your training as a military man will augur well for the country,” he said.

“General Lapeña will move to TESDA. I will promote you to a Cabinet member position. General Jagger, Guerrero, you are to move to the Bureau of Customs,” he said.

Speaking to Guerrero, Duterte said, “I know you are happy there (in Marina), you are contented, but the demands of public service and the need for honest men requires it. Good luck.”

Duterte said that Guerrero should replace all key officers at the Bureau of Customs.

MARINA administrator Rey Guerrero and Customs chief Isidro Lapena can be seen here as President Rodrigo Duterte announces his decision to move Lapena to TESDA as director general, while naming Guerrero as the new Customs commissioner, with the marching order to put on floating status all of its key officers on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018. (Photo grabbed from RTVM video)

This was after tons of shabu had reportedly slipped from the Customs bureau under Lapeña’s watch. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Aaron Aquino said that at least P11 billion worth of shabu had slipped past the bureau last July, changing his earlier estimate of P6.8 bilion.

Duterte then directed that the drafting of the new appointments of Lapeña and Guerrero so that they can already take their oath tomorrow, Friday.

Pagawa mo na yung appointments nila para we can have the ceremony tomorrow,” he told members of his staff.

Duterte then directed Guerrero to put on “floating status” all the customs key officers, including commissioners and department heads, whom he wanted to be investigated.

“Sa opisina sila. They are on floating status. The outer periphery will be taken care of by the Coast Guard,” he said as his marching orders to Guerrero.

“You can utilize military men,” he said to Guerrero, adding that women in the military can be given tasks at the Customs bureau including the manning of x-ray machines.

He said that learning of how to operate the X-ray machinery at the Customs bureau will not be that hard to learn.  He said that the new X-ray operators can learn the skill in two or three days.

“Hindi naman mahirap yang X-ray, X-ray na yan.. If you are corrupt, then no amount of X-ray, even if they are filled with shabu, you can never see,” he said.

But he said that those who are not corrupt can see the X-rays clearly.

“Stop lahat yan,” Duterte said.

“Baklasin mo na,” he told Guerrero.

“Do not mind if there is a delay in the cargo,” he said.

“I leave it up to you. Trabaho mo na yan.”

The President added that the “corruption” is the thing that he hates most passionately.