PASG chief sacks 2 for extortion

MANILA, Philippines - Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) chief Antonio Villar axed two of his ranking officials due to their reported involvement with a robbery-extort group preying on importers nationwide.

Strategic and Information Service Director Rommel Javier was dismissed following the arrest of Jaime Capuno, an official appointed by Javier as monitoring chief and liaison officer of PASG-SIS.

Javier is a Bureau of Customs official assigned by his agency to the PASG.

Villar said his office will not tolerate any illegal deeds under his command. President Arroyo recently appointed him as chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board in concurrent capacity.

Capuno was arrested on Dec. 22, 2009 as he and a certain Jojo Lontoc reportedly extorted P50,000 from businessmen Henry and Tyrone Ong at a café in San Juan City.

Prior to the arrest, PASG Intelligence Director Jaih Francia gathered reports that Javier’s group was threatening to pester traders if they refuse to hand over protection money.

Villar informed Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales that Javier’s assignment with the PASG has been terminated prior to the filing of criminal and administrative charges against him.

Villar said Javier will be charged with usurpation of authority, grave misconduct and robbery-extortion. He added that Javier issued appointments to men he recruited, which is a grave violation of Executive Order 624 creating the PASG.

He reiterated the “no mission order, no operation” policy of PASG and encouraged the public to immediately report to his chief of staff Jeffrey Patawaran any illegal activities of men identifying themselves with PASG.