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Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Mongaya: Tension at Cebu port
By Anol Mongaya
The tension at the Bureau of Customs Port of Cebu is expected to heighten this week with two collectors battling it out at who is the legitimate head of the district office. This developed after District Collector Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang received an order relieving her of her Cebu assignment and deploying her to the Port of Iloilo. In her stead, Commissioner Morales named Grace Karingal the acting collector of Cebu.
However, the order did not bear the signature of Finance Secretary Margarito Teves. Under administrative order 133, any revamp order signed by Customs Commissioner Boy Morales must be approved by Teves. An order reassigning Collector Karingal from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Subic last week had the signature of Teves.
Moreover, the Mangaoang camp noted that former Cebu collector Billy Bibit was replaced because he lacked a Career Executive Service Officer (Ceso) certification from the Civil Service Commission. Karingal also does not have a Ceso.
Earlier, Karingal’s camp pushed for her transfer to Cebu using a so-called endorsement from Malacañang. However, Teves sat on her appointment because of the various graft cases filed against her. Moreover, Cebu business and political leaders had aired their support for Mangaoang.
It seems that powerful forces in Manila insist on getting Karingal named as Cebu customs head.
While the grapevine mentions the alleged Karingal namedropping of the first gentleman and former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano as supposedly part of the administration’s fund-raising for the current Charter Change effort, Mangaoang detractors like columnist Mon Tulfo criticize her Mangaoang’s alleged “special relationship” with Teves.
Karingal is reportedly already in a plush Cebu hotel since Friday while Mangaoang’s political supporters (including key GMA allies in the Visayas) reportedly advised the latter to go to court.
I just hope the tension will ease soon because the economy of Cebu will suffer if ever the controversy will be protracted.
Last year, the political tension at the capital led to the reduction of imports nationwide. This was the reason for the low customs collections of several ports, including Cebu. At a time when the volume of imports is expected to rise, the current tension at the port area might prompt importers to divert their shipments to other ports.
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The gathering of signatures for the people’s initiative had irked some mayors and Gov. Gwen Garcia because the Department of Interior and Local Government did not coordinate with her. This led to their non-endorsement of the people’s initiative.
The major hurdle, however, is the Supreme Court (SC). But while the opposition cites an earlier SC decision against the Pirma initiative during the Ramos presidency, movement advocates are optimistic the High Court will reverse its order, considering that yesterday’s dissenters are now the SC leaders.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 4, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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