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Customs bureau welcomes looming DOJ-led corruption probe

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/02/08/custom.jpg"/><figcaption>The Bureau of Customs welcomes the justice department&#x27;s move to prioritize the agency in its investigation of alleged corruption, its spokesman said Thursday. <em>ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA— The Bureau of Customs said Thursday it welcomes the justice department&#x27;s move to prioritize the agency in its investigation of alleged corruption following President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s order.</p><p>The bureau is among 5 state agencies that would likely face probe by a task force headed by the Department of Justice, its chief Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/28/20/doj-identifies-5-agencies-likely-to-face-corruption-probe">DOJ identifies 5 agencies likely to face corruption probe</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/27/20/duterte-to-doj-investigate-entire-government-for-corruption">Duterte to DOJ: Investigate &#x27;entire government&#x27; for corruption</a></li></ul><p>The bureau, tagged in earlier corruption controversies, had launched an anti-corruption drive following the appointment of Customs chief Rey Guerrero in 2018, said spokesperson Vincent Maronilla.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/31/18/new-customs-chief-says-civilians-in-control-readies-corruption-fight">New Customs chief says civilians &#x27;in control,&#x27; readies corruption fight</a></li></ul><p>Some 228 personnel have been issued show-cause orders while 135 others were investigated for corruption and 45 administrative cases have been filed, Maronilla said.</p><p>It has transmitted 167 cases to the Office of the Ombudsman and 7 cases to the DOJ, while 28 were referred to the National Bureau of Investigation, he added.</p><p>&quot;Itong task force na ike-create sa pamumuno ni Secretary Guevarra will serve to complement and validate &#x27;yung efforts na ginagawa ng Bureau of Customs. Baka po kasi mayroon pa kaming di nakikita internally at &#x27;yun po ay sana matulungan kami ni Secretary Guevarra,&quot; Maronilla told ABS-CBN&#x27;s Teleradyo.</p><p>(This task force that will be created under the leadership of Secretary Guevarra will serve to complement and validate the Bureau of Customs&#x27; efforts. Maybe we missed something internally and we hope Secretary Guevarra can help us.)</p><p>The bureau has also enforced an automated system that lessens opportunities for corruption, the spokesman said.</p><p>&quot;Nakita namin na systemic &#x27;to and the solution is to actually fully automate our system. Eradicate po natin ang face-to-face transactions kasi &#x27;yung malaking bulk ng opportunities for corruption nandun po sa phase kung saan may kaunting manual interaction pa between the stakeholders and Customs personnel namin,&quot; he said.</p><p>(We saw this was systemic and the solution is to actually fully automate our system, eradicate face-to-face transactions because this is where the bulk of opportunities for corruption are, in the phase where there&#x27;s manual interaction between stakeholders and Customs personnel.)</p><p>The bureau previously came under fire for letting billions of pesos worth of illegal drugs slip past its watch.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/29/19/lacson-tara-system-in-customs-bureau-persists">Lacson: &#x27;Tara&#x27; system in Customs bureau persists</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_CBkZOKtONE?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>The Bureau of Customs said Thursday it welcomes the justice department's move to prioritize the agency in its investigation of alleged corruption following President Rodrigo Duterte's order.</p>

The Bureau of Customs said Thursday it welcomes the justice department's move to prioritize the agency in its investigation of alleged corruption following President Rodrigo Duterte's order.