Poultry group to Biazon: Resign from BOC

MANILA, Philippines - A group of poultry raisers asked yesterday Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Rufino Biazon to resign from his post for his continued failure to curb smuggling and meet his agency’s revenue targets.

In a statement, Gregorio San Diego, national president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said Biazon should have resigned out of delicadeza when President Aquino criticized him in his last State of the Nation Address.

“He should have filed an irrevocable resignation when the President lambasted him,” San Diego said.

UBRA is a national association of small and medium-scale broiler raisers with chapters in all major poultry producing areas of the country.

UBRA said it has been urging Biazon to curb the smuggling of chicken and other products but he allegedly has not lifted a finger to help the plight of local poultry raisers.

San Diego issued the statement amid reports that the BOC collected P25.8 billion for September, falling short of its target of P29 billion.

Biazon was also reported as saying that the BOC will also miss its October target, citing a slowdown in growth and the reshuffle of collectors as reasons.

San Diego said Biazon should follow the example of some of the agency’s collectors, who opted to resign or avail of early retirement after  Biazon ordered their transfer to the Department of Finance despite meeting the revenue target in their jurisdictions.