Customs ‘padrinos’ named EXECUTIVE Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. were identified as among the personalities acting as “padrinos” or godfathers to some ranking officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) who do not wish to be removed or reassigned somewhere else. According to a an unimpeachable source of The Manila Times, Ochoa, touted as the “Little President,” and Belmonte, the fourth most powerful official in the country, have been protecting people at the bureau. Belmonte and Ochoa “are among the government officials who act as power brokers and protectors to ensure that their men at the Bureau of Customs remain in their posts,” the source, whose credibility is beyond question, said. He noted that Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) Collector Ricardo “Boysie” Belmonte is a brother of the Speaker, while Customs Deputy Commissioner Peter Manzano is Ochoa’s man in the agency. “There are many in the bureau who have their own backers,” he added. The source mentioned Customs Intelligence and Investigation Division chief Director Fernandino Tuazon, Deputy Commissioner Horacio Suansing, Deputy Commissioner Prudencio Reyes, Port of Manila Collector Rogel Gatchalian, NAIA District Collector Ding So, X-Ray Division chief Collector Mimi Talusan and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) chief Richard Rebong. Last January, Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon ordered a reshuffle of officials to include Belmonte and Gatchalian. But the source said the two, who are among the so-called “three kings” at the bureau, have not been dislodged despite failing miserably in curbing corruption and hitting their target collections. The source said Tuazon also enjoys Ochoa’s protection. manilatimes.net/customs-padrinos-named/23092/
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 09:11:24 +0000
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