PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has instructed Customs Chief Rey Leonardo "Jagger" Guerrero to "double the zealousness" in fulfilling his mandate of ridding the Bureau of Customs (BOC) of corruption.
The directive was issued as Guerrero took his oath as the new BOC head before the President in a simple ceremony in Davao City.
"Kung sa Army ka pa, takot talaga sa'yo ang mga tao kasi istrikto ka daw (When you're still the Army chief, your subordinates were afraid to you because you are strict). Double the zealousness and maybe, you'd have a better chance of retiring unscathed," Duterte told Guerrero.
Guerrero replaced former Customs commissioner, Isidro Lapeña, who was reassigned as the director general of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority following the multibillion-peso drug smuggling controversy hounding the BOC under the latter's leadership.
Lapeña was under fire after four empty magnetic lifters suspected to have contained shabu were seized in Cavite in August.
READ: New shabu shipment uncovered in Manila port
Duterte warned Guerrero that his new role would be a "challenge," given the unending corruption within the bureau.
He, nevertheless, was confident that Guererro would be able to perform well, since the new BOC chief is a "good and honest" man.
"Si Jagger naman (Jagger), I have known him for several years and he is good... He is honest. So sabi ko sa kanya (I told him), to protect yourself, paalisin mo lahat (and get rid of erring BOC personnel)," the President said.
READ: More magnetic lifters found in Cavite
Duterte also reiterated his order to allow the military to temporarily take over the functions of the BOC.
The President's decision to place the BOC under military control has earned strong opposition from his critics.
Malacañang, however, has repeatedly maintained that the military takeover of BOC was "constitutional." (SunStar Philippines)