Dellosa, 4 others named to BOC

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Jessie Dellosa as deputy commissioner for the enforcement group of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

In the meantime, Dellosa would head as officer-in-charge the bureau’s intelligence group, which Danilo Lim used to head until he resigned last month, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said yesterday.

Dellosa was endorsed by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. He was appointed by Aquino as AFP chief in 2011.

He had served as commanding officer of the Special Reaction Unit of the Presidential Security Group that protected former President Corazon Aquino against several coup attempts during her term.

Dellosa replaced Horacio Suansing as deputy commissioner for the enforcement group.

Valte said over radio station dzRB that the President also signed the appointment papers of four other deputy commissioners for the BOC.

They were Primo Aguas, for the management information system and technology group; Agaton Teodoro Uvero, for the assessment and operations coordinating group; Department of Budget and Management director Myrna Chua, for the internal administration group; and Department of Finance Assistant Secretary Editha Tan, for revenue collection.

Aguas assumed the position of Maria Caridad Manarang while Uvero replaced Prudencio Reyes.

Tan replaced Peter Manzano while Chua took the place of Juan Lorenzo Tañada.

Uvero, a licensed Customs broker, is the legal director of the Port Users Confederation. He was a former law partner of Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera.

He is reportedly close to former Customs chief Angelito Alvarez, who has ties with Purisima and businessman Bert Lina of Air21, said to be a donor in the 2010 presidential campaign of Aquino.

Purisima, Alvarez and Lina have been partners in companies such as logistics firm 2GO. Alvarez was president of Lina’s Air21 cargo shipment.

Biazon welcomes new appointments

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon yesterday welcomed the new appointees, saying he was ready to work with them.

Biazon said he is optimistic that the new BOC deputy commissioners would provide fresh insights to help solve the problems besetting the agency.

“I am willing to work with them. A fresh team can provide a new approach to the challenges at the bureau,” he said.

BOC collectors demoted

A Department of Finance (DOF) order signed by Biazon and approved by Purisima has affected 27 veteran district collectors at the BOC.

The BOC collectors were relieved from their posts and reassigned to the Customs Policy Research Office under the DOF.

According to BOC insiders, the reassignment of senior collectors may affect the bureau’s revenue collection in the last quarter of the year.

“The BOC leadership implemented the massive revamp at a time when the volume of imports surge as the Christmas season draws near,” they said. – Aurea Calica, Evelyn Macairan, Rainier Allan Ronda