EDITORIAL - Why is Biazon sticking it out at Customs?

Customs commissioner Ruffy Biazon says his job is the most stressful that he has ever been in. Asked how stressful on a scale of one to 10, Biazon said 10 without hesitation. So why is Biazon hanging on to a job that he himself describes as the most stressful he has ever been in?

Most people who find their jobs utterly stressful (rated 10 on a scale of one to 10) would have promptly resigned. In fact, Biazon did try to resign, but according to him President Aquino texted him to ask that he stay on.

By his own admission, there are interests constantly at play at the Bureau of Customs. That is a way of saying he has failed to measure up to the reform agenda of Aquino, that he has not been able to cleanse the bureau as expected of him by the president.

This is the reason why, during the last State of the Nation Address of Aquino, Biazon got a public tongue-lashing by the president. No manifestation of presidential displeasure could have been more pronounced and evident.

Other men would have "irrevocably" resigned. Not Biazon, who simply offered to resign, and then stayed on when texted by the president to stay. We do not know about you, but to us, a State of the Nation tongue-lashing and a private text message are two entirely different things.

So what the heck is Biazon staying around for? He has already admitted his is a very stressful job. He has already admitted his failure to curb the shenanigans at the bureau that have given it such a bad name. And he has been publicly humiliated by the president even if later privately appeased.

The woes of Biazon by no means end there. For all the power and authority as can be gleaned from the loftiness of his position, he can nevertheless be cut quite easily, as when an order of his got impounded by an even bigger authority -- the finance secretary.

What a humiliating experience that was, that no sooner had he issued his much-publicized order reshuffling several Customs collectors than such order was promptly seized by the finance secretary even before it can be implemented, saying such order needs his clearance first. Still Biazon won't budge. What gives?