Noynoy supporters in VisMin seek 'review'of Alvarez appointment

CEBU, Philippines – Doubts on the appointment of businessman Joselito Alvarez as Customs commissioner because of cheating in a prestigious golf tournament has spread to supporters of President Benigno Aquino in the Visayas and Mindanao even as the president himself ordered the customs chief for immediate results in the fights against smugglers.

Members of Tuloy Pinoy and the Liberal Party in Cebu and other Visayan and Mindanao are now discussing the “inappropriate” appointment that puts into question the call of Aquino of cleaning up the customs bureau and curbing corruption in government.

“I believe in what I read and heard in the news. A government official must have moral ascendancy, accceptability, and integrity. The president must do something about this,” said Davao del Norte Provincial Board Member Shirley Aala. A member of the Liberal Party and active pro-Noynoy campaigner, she recently coordinated with members of the Tuloy Pinoy chapter in Cebu on a number of concerns.

“Nagpakiramdaman ang mga pro-Noynoy. Unsay nahitabo? Unsay atong mabuhat?” said an original member of Tuloy Pinoy in Cebu who asked not to be named pending efforts to privately relay their sentiments to Aquino.

The group intends to ask the president to review the appointment of Alvarez because the “small issue” of cheating in Mango Tee 2010 golf tournament of the Alabang Country Club shows “dishonestly” of somebody named to a crucial position as customs commissioner.

The Tuloy Pinoy is a nationwide group of volunteers that campaigned for Aquino’s victory in the May 10 polls.

According to Ed Ramirez of Tuloy Pinoy Negros Occidental, the guy was lambasted in a Bacolod radio station adding that the Tuloy Pinoy Luzon chapter felt “na binabraso ang appointment (of Alvarez) ng finance secretary,” who is accused of conflict of interest because of his involvement with the cargo forwarder Airfreight 21.

“Yes nakarating na (ang aming sentimento) kay PNoy but take into consideration na hindi basta ma-overhaul overnight ang issue ng corruption so let’s be vigilant,” Ramirez said.

Tuloy Pinoy volunteers expressed fear that the issue will escalate now that senators like Sen. Tito Sotto has expressed serious questions “on the wisdom of appointing Alvarez” who is said to be also connected with Airfreight 21 which is doing business with the bureau.

In his website www.titosotto.com, Sen. Sotto said he and his playing buddies are incensed by Alvarez’s attempt to make light of the incident which caused his suspension from the club and the dismissal of two caddies and one of Alvarez’s golfmate from his top paying job.

Sotto noted that golf is a “gentleman’s sport as one tends to play alone and thus expected to be honest and play by the rules.” Emphasizing that scoring in golf is a true test of one’s integrity and character, lying about it is considered a “mortal sin.” “He should spare President Aquino any more problems as a result of this act of ‘plain and simple cheating’ by resigning now,” Sotto advised.

However, in talks with reporters in Manila last week, President Aquino said the issue was “minor” and instead called on Alvarez to go hard against smugglers or he is out of his job.

Meanwhile, Alvarez has told reporters that he strongly believes “leadership by example” would help him institute the necessary reforms at the bureau. “The quality of governance under me will be a lot better,” he said.

A certified public accountant who once worked for auditing giant SGV and Co., he said the background would help him in his new job. Alvarez also spent two decades with the Lina Group of Companies headed by Alberto Lina, himself the customs commissioner until he resigned along with the rest of the so-called Hyatt 10 at the height of the “Hello Garci” scandal in 2005.

He also served as accounting manager of Advanced Micro Devices, now Amkor-Anam, one of the biggest semiconductor companies in the country.

Most recently, Alvarez was chair of the Philippine Basketball Association as representative of the basketball team Air21 in the PBA board. (THE FREEMAN)