Steel firm urges Biazon to enforce BOC dismissals

Manila, Philippines - Seven officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) who were earlier sacked by Malacañang for gross misconduct, grave abuse of authority and oppression have been reporting back for work in the bureau.

Because of this defiance, the lawyers of Sanyo Seiki Stainless Steel Corp. (SSSSC) led by former Solicitor General Frank Chavez filed a Manifestation before the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (ODESLA) asking it to direct BOC Commissioner Rufino Biazon to explain why the seven officials who were former members of the Run After The Smugglers (RATS) group are still reporting to the bureau despite the Jan. 26, 2012 decision of the ODESLA.

Christopher Dy Buco, Edgar Quiñones, Francisco Fernandez, Alfredo Adao, Jose Elmer Velarde, Thomas Patric Relucio and Jim Erick Acosta were found guilty, along with former BOC deputy commissioner and RATS head Gregorio Chavez, by the ODESLA of gross misconduct, grave abuse of authority and oppression, gross incompetence and inefficiency, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

They were slapped with the penalty of dismissal from service, with accessory consequences of eligibility cancellation, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in government service.

“This only shows how brazen these individuals are. It is as if nothing happened and they are free to go on their merry ways,” lawyer Niel Rapatan, a member of SSSSC’s legal team, said.

The seven officials were sanctioned for enforcing invalid mission orders against SSSSC and for harassing its officers with trumped-up charges. The steel firm’s delivery van which was “hostaged” by the RATS in July 2011 has not yet been returned despite the findings by Malacañang that the individuals who carried out the illegal seizure gravely abused their authority.

The steel firm has complained of “Gestapo-type” raids on its warehouses in Malabon and Meycauayan without Mission Orders or Plant Visit Authorization Letters (PVAL), in direct violation of Customs Memorandum Order 52-93, after SSSSC rejected the multi-million extortion attempts of the dismissed BOC officials and after criminal charges were filed before the Office of the Ombudsman last June 29, 2011.

Records show that SSSSC has been cleared of any implicated violations and declared intact after the Philexport, together with the BOC, conducted an audit and inventory of the steel firm’s goods and products.

“We appeal to commissioner Biazon to take prudence and uphold Malacañang’s order by justly acting on the blatant defiance of these disgraced BOC officials returning to their posts,” Rapatan said.

For his part, SSSSC president Gregory Chan expressed trust and confidence in President Benigno Aquino’s administration pointing out that the government’s Matuwid na Daan campaign should not allow corrupt officials to return to their former posts, but rather ensure that they be accountable and liable for their illegal acts.

“The government should continue laying the groundwork in creating a more conducive environment to encourage more businesses to invest in the Philippines,” Chan said.