MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang was unfazed by the statement of customs brokers that they are ready to fight President Duterte’s plan to remove them from the customs bureau as part of his campaign against corruption. ?
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte is prepared to perform his duty as President even if some groups are against his actions. ?
“Even if they want to fight but the President is mandated by the Constitution to serve the people and to protect the people. That’s what he said.
As long as he is in that position, he will do everything,” Panelo told reporters last Wednesday. ?Earlier this month, Duterte called for the removal of brokers in the customs bureau, blaming them for the corruption in the revenue agency. He claimed getting rid of brokers would cut corruption in the bureau overnight.?
The Chamber of Customs Brokers, which has about 11,000 members, expressed readiness to fight what it described as the “unfair” pronouncement of the President.
Duterte’s plan would also affect thousands of brokers, their families and students studying customs administration, Adones Carmona, president of the chamber, said in a previous television interview.
?Last July, Duterte said he would relieve 64 customs officials of their duties because of corruption.
Late last year, the President ordered the military to take over the customs bureau after billions of pesos worth of illegal drugs were smuggled into the country. ?
Days before he became president, Duterte described the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Land Transportation Office as the “most corrupt” agencies in government.