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Saturday, April 23, 2005
Bibit’s out of bureau, customs chief confirms
BILLY Bibit is no longer connected with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Cebu, Commissioner Alberto Lina said yesterday.
Lina’s statement ended confusion on whether Bibit is “in or out” of the customs service.
Bibit was already given his walking papers during their meeting in Manila last Sunday, said Lina in an ambush interview at the Shangri-la Mactan Resort Hotel, where he was the guest of a business forum.
“I told him his employment with the Bureau of Customs is not anymore valid because his appointment was rejected by the Civil Service Commission (CSC),” Lina said.
The commissioner said Bibit asked him for two days to pack up his things in Cebu, which the former Port of Cebu district collector never did. The two days Bibit requested were supposed to be April 18 and 19.
According to Lina, Bibit was inaccurate when he said there was no order relieving him as district collector of the Port of Cebu.
“Why should I order his relief when he is not anymore employed with the bureau? Bibit has no valid appointment,” Lina said.
It was not the BOC or the Department of Finance (DOF) who removed Bibit from customs service but the CSC, Lina explained.
The CSC disapproved the renewal of Bibit’s temporary appointment as customs collector 5 on the ground that he did not meet the qualifications of a “third level” category.
This position requires an eligibility of either a career executive service officer or a civil service executive examination, both of which Bibit didn’t have.
While the CSC rules allow a temporary appointment for non-eligibles, this shall only be good for one year and is non-renewable.
BOC records show Bibit was temporarily appointed in 2001 by then commissioner Cesar Villanueva, renewed thrice by commissioner Antonio Bernardo, and again endorsed for renewal by then commissioner George Jereos last February.
Bibit’s temporary appointment was supposed to expire last Feb. 23. Due to a 30-day period for him to finally vacate, Lina said Bibit was allowed to keep working until last March 23.
However, since April 18, when Lina designated lawyer Roger Lim as acting district collector, Bibit lost his authority to transact business or sign any BOC documents. If he did, he could be charged with usurpation of a public function.
According to Lina, Lim must assume as acting district collector. Otherwise, Lim could be charged with defying a lawful order.
“If Bibit will refuse to turn over his function to Lim, then Lim must take over Bibit’s position immediately,” Lina said. (EOB)
(April 23, 2005 issue)
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