MANILA: The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has relieved lawyer Arnel Alcaraz as officer-in-charge of the Enforcement Group after President Rodrigo Duterte mentioned that he wanted an allegedly corrupt official of the bureau removed.
“Pati yung sa Customs, there was this story about the deputy for intelligence. I’ve yet to talk to Colonel [Nicanor] Faeldon, but I have instructed to my aide to relay, I want him suspended… out immediately. Suspended and out immediately,” Duterte said in an interview.
“We are assuming [that it was Alcaraz] because we have not received any other formal charges against the other deputy commissioners,” lawyer Mandy Anderson, chief of staff of Customs Commissioner Faeldon, said.
“So since na-mention sya ni president kahapon, it is safe to assume na he was referring to him,” she added.
Faeldon signed the order relieving Alcaraz of his duty and assigning Isabelo Tibayan III as replacement on Wednesday, November 2.
Anderson said that they have not received any complaint against Alcaraz, but that they will be “working hand-in-hand with the National Bureau of Investigation to get whatever complaint was filed, and then we will initiate administrative investigation against him accordingly.”
A graft case was filed against Alcaraz for alleged extortion activities before the NBI. Meanwhile, the BOC is currently working with the NBI to gather the affidavits of the complainants and other evidence for the investigation.
