AMID the controversies hounding the Bureau of Customs (BOC), President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, October 25, announced some "minor revamps" and said all the Customs commissioners and department heads "are out."
Duterte said Customs Commissioner Isidro "Sid" Lapeña would be replaced by Rey Leonardo "Jagger" Guerrero, a former military chief who currently serves as the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) administrator.
Lapeña will move to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) as its new director general.
Duterte announced Lapeña's new designation during the 117th anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard on Thursday.
"Now, for the General, Lapeña will move to Tesda. I will promote you to a Cabinet member," the President said in his speech.
"Sid, 'yung trabaho ng (the work at) Tesda is quite, something of a... It could be messy at times. But I'm sure, your training as a military man just like Jagger could augur well," he added.
His announcement came amid calls for Lapeña's resignation because of the supposed P11-billion shabu shipment that may have slipped past the country's ports in August.
At the same time, Duterte named Guerrero as the new BOC chief.
"General Jagger Guerrero, you are to move to the Bureau of Customs. Saan po kayo? Alam ko ayaw niyong umalis sa Marina (Where are you? I know you don't want to leave Marina)," he said.
"Is Jagger here? I know that you are reluctant to... I know you are happy there [at Marina] and you are contented, but the demands of public service and the need of honest man requires your presence there. Good luck. I will look for your replacement," Duterte added.
He said Guerrero could also tap some "military men" to ensure that no smuggled shabu would be able to slip past the BOC in the future.
"Just to give Jagger also a chance, I am ordering the freezing of all section department units of the Bureau of Customs out... Out lahat, (All are out, up) to the last man. The commissioners are out, the department heads are out..," Duterte said.
"Maybe you can utilize military men, the excess, lalo na yung mga walang trabaho, lalo na yung mga babae. (especially the women and jobless). You can suspend two or three days for them to learn. Hindi naman mahirap iyang X-ray (Scanning things through X-ray machines is not difficult)," he added.
Duterte's latest pronouncement came a day after he told Lapeña and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Aaron Aquino to "stop blaming each other" over the illegal entry of shabu into the country. (SunStar Philippines)