Tañada: Senate, Congress 'forces' at work in Customs

MANILA, Philippines - Bureau of Customs Deputy Commissioner Juan Lorenzo Tañada, who proposed to step down from his post, confirmed  that there are politicians that are serving as de facto forces running the agency.

In a radio interview on Thursday, Tañada affirmed Commissioner Ruffy Biazon's and Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim's statement that "political backers" and "powerful forces"  are making their calls in the controversial bureau.

Asked if there are senators and congressmen who ask favors from Customs officials, Tañada answered that "there are ... even fake relatives of those with high positions also make calls."

"Madalas po 'yan lalo na sa hiring and promotion ang assignment ng mga tao," Tañada said.

Tañada added that it will take at least 12 years to weed out Customs officials involved in anomalous practices and to reform the bureau.

"At least 30 taon 'yung naka-ugat na tiwaling practices d'yan sa bureau. Kailangan po siguro minimum dalawang termino ng administrasyon ... 12 (na) taon," he said.

Biazon and Lim earlier offered to leave their posts after President Benigno Aquino III berated the agency in his State of the Nation Address for inefficiency. Aquino, however, rejected their resignations.

In previous interviews, Lim admitted that he had no choice but to grant favors to political entities at work in the agency.

"Napipilitan tayo. Kung minsan, nagba-balancing act. Kung minsan, 'pag hindi mo napagbigyan, may sasama ang loob, magtatampo. Dahil may mga tinatamaan, minsan iba na 'yung kwento na lumalabas na ikinakalat, baligtad na, ikaw na ang may kalokohan. Ganyan sa bureau," Lim said.