MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III has yet to act on the resignation of Customs Deputy Commissioner Danny Lim, who stepped down from his post after his bureau was berated in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
At a televised press briefing on Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda confirmed that Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. has received the resignation letter of Customs Deputy Commissioner Danny Lim.
"We will just confirm that the Office of the Executive Secretary received the letter, but we have no word yet as to the action taken by the President. So we will announce any news as soon as we get word from the Palace," Lacierda said.
Asked if the Palace will do nothing at all on the issue and if it is asking other Customs officials to quit, Lacierda simply said: "Abangan po natin ang susunod na kabanata."
"As to how the individual officials concerned would respond to the speech of the President, that is not something we are in control of," Lacierda also said.
On Wednesday, Customs deputy commissioner Juan Lorenzo Tañada also reportedly resigned but Lacierda said they have yet to receive a letter from the official.
In his SONA, Aquino chided three agencies including the BOC for the alleged corruption and inefficiency among its personnel.
He said BOC personnel "are trying to outdo each other’s incompetence."
"Saan po kayo kumukuha ng kapal ng mukha ang mga kawani sa ahensyang ito?" Aquino asked in his speech.
Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon was the first to offer his resignation, which was rejected by Aquino.
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