(Eagle News) — Former Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the Palace said on Tuesday, Nov. 13.
“Until and unless proven otherwise, he still enjoys the trust and confidence of the appointing authority who happens to be the President,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
Panelo, however, noted also that “no one, friends or political foes alike, is spared in our fight against corruption.”
“The [National Bureau of Investigation] has a mandate to fulfill and its action is proof that the President shall not shield those upon whom a shadow of doubt has been cast,” Panelo said.
“Good governance is the hallmark of the Duterte administration and this latest development is a reaffirmation of the President’s commitment against all forms of corruption and illegality,” he added.
In a statement, Lapeña, who now heads the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, lashed out at the NBI, saying the modus behind the 105 ceramic tiles that vanished from the Bureau of Customs would not have been uncovered had it not been for him.
He also criticized the NBI, saying the agency did not uncover who the real people were behind the shipment that was unlawfully released.
