Mike Arroyo denies hand in Bibit transfer

First Gentleman Mike Arroyo has denied that he had anything to do with the recent appointment of Billy Bibit as Cebu Customs district collector.

"He is not, and has never been connected to me in any way. I have nothing to do with his appointment as Cebu Customs chief," Arroyo said in a letter to The STAR.

Arroyo was referring to a Freeman report that talks were rife within the Bureau of Customs that Bibit was allegedly close to Arroyo who might have a hand in his appointment.

"Mr. Bibit is just an acquaintance," Arroyo said.

The Freeman report quoted Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo as saying that there was no politics involved in Bibit’s appointment as Cebu Customs district collector.

Bibit replaced Juan Tan who was transferred to the bureau’s human resource department in Manila amid dwindling revenue collection at the Port of Cebu.

Bibit, a former officer of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM), was the former Customs collector at Clark Field in Pampanga.