System-wide revamp at BOC continues

MANILA, Philippines - A system-wide revamp continues at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) as Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez designated new OICs to key positions in the agency’s intelligence service.

The move is part of efforts to improve the operational efficiency in the monitoring, detection and prevention of smuggling activities, he said.

The revamp covered the entire network of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service at the regional, district and sub-port levels.

The CIIS is under the leadership of director and acting Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Filomeno Vicencio Jr.

The of key officers is part of efforts to ensure that customs intelligence and agents do not become too familiar and comfortable with each other, Alvarez said.

The CIIS is mandated to collect, collate and evaluate data and information on “acts of economic sabotage and the conduct of surveillance, investigation and apprehension of cases involving violations of customs, tariff laws and regulations.”

According to the revamp order issued by Alvarez, the new assignments involved the designation of Liceo Martinez as OIC for the Visayas Region, Oswaldo Geli for the Mindanao Region and Rolando Sacramento for Southern Luzon.

Furthermore, the BOC chief also assigned Marissa Rae Galang as OIC for the Manila International Container Port (MICP) vice Bienvenido Rubio who took over Galang’s old CIIS post at the Port of Manila.

The rotation also affected Manolo Arevalo who was shifted from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to the Port of Cebu; Rico Rey Francis Holganza from the Port of Cebu to the NAIA; Ernesto Aguirrechea from the Shipside and Outside Unit to the Port of Batangas and its sub-ports; Aris de Guzman from the Port of Subic and Limay to the Shipside and Outside Unit; Alexander Atienza from the Port of Batangas, Legaspi and its sub-ports to the Port of Limay and its sub-ports.

Other changes include the designation of Javier Alpano from the Visayas Region office to the Port of Subic; Carmelita Valeroso from the Operations Section of the Investigation Division to the PEZA in Cavite and Laguna; Danilo Umacob Jr. from the PEZA in Cavite and Laguna to the Port of Clark; Alvin Enciso from the CIIS Investigation Division to Head of the CIIS Postal Office; and, Willie Sarmiento from the Office of the Director to the Post-Entry Audit Group (PEAG).