Push Admin

Duterte says to ‘relieve’ 64 Customs employees due to corruption

Article (news)

Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATE) - President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he would “relieve” 64 Bureau of Customs (BOC) employees of their duties next week due to corruption.Duterte made the announcement a day after he ordered the “freezing” of some high-ranking executives of the agency.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/10/19/panelo-duterte-orders-freezing-of-several-customs-officials-employees">Panelo: Duterte orders &#x27;freezing&#x27; of several Customs officials, employees</a></li></ul>&quot;If I can dismiss them, I will be dismissing something like 64 Customs employees,&quot; he said in a speech at the Malacañang Palace.&quot;In the meantime that their case[s] are being heard, in obedience of the rule of the right to be heard, I want them to be here in Malacañang. My view is that help me craft a new implementing rules of how not to rob a country properly,&quot; he said.The President explained that corruption in the agency is &quot;a simple case of... you resign or I file charges.&quot; Speaking to reporters, the President clarified that he would “relieve” “a number of employees from Customs” of their duties because they are “players” in several illegal shipments.“I will relieve them of their duties as they are not yet ousted or dismissed because of their right to be heard. Tinatanggal ko sila sa trabaho ngayon (I’m removing them from their work right now) to prevent further damage to government interest,” he said.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">WATCH: President Duterte says he will “relieve” some Customs employees of their duties, orders those with cases to report to Malacañang on Monday <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABSCBNNews</a> <a href="https://t.co/XASbyBnUDh">pic.twitter.com/XASbyBnUDh</a>— Arianne Merez (@arianne_merez) <a href="https://twitter.com/arianne_merez/status/1149248085681295360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>He said, however, that he leaves it up to the Office of the Ombudsman to file charges against supposedly corrupt Customs employees.Duterte also ordered Customs employees with pending cases or had cases before to report to the Palace on Monday.The President said he could cut corruption in the government by a third once he weeds out crooked officials and employees at the BOC, which he has repeatedly criticized.In 2018, Duterte said he wanted the Armed Forces of the Philippines to take over the agency after billions of pesos worth of illegal drugs slipped past its watch.The BOC is currently headed by Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, a former Army chief.

President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he would “relieve” 64 Bureau of Customs (BOC) employees of their duties next week due to corruption.

President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he would “relieve” 64 Bureau of Customs (BOC) employees of their duties next week due to corruption.

Duterte says to ‘relieve’ 64 Customs employees due to corruption

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

Duterte says to ‘relieve’ 64 Customs employees due to corruption

Arianne Merez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 11, 2019 05:04 PM PHT

|

Updated Jul 11, 2019 06:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Bureau of Customs

customs

Rodrigo Duterte

Duterte

corruption

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.