Press Release
August 1, 2017

YOU'RE EITHER INCOMPETENT OR CORRUPT: GORDON TO BOC OFFICIALS

For the ease by which a shipment of more than 600 kilograms of shabu worth P6.4-billion from China was released from the Bureau of Customs, Senator Richard J. Gordon tagged BOC officials as either incompetent or corrupt.

During the hearing conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the shabu shipment seized by the BOC during a raid in two Valenzuela warehouses three days after the shipment was released last May, Gordon, chair of the committee, lambasted the BOC officials for allowing the shipment containing the contraband to pass through right under their noses, for their lapses in conducting the raid and for their failure to press charges against the personalities involved.

"This is really the gang who can't shoot straight. Either you're incompetent or you are corrupt. That's the whole point here. Nakakalusot sa green lane iyong primipara, tinutulungan ng mga tropa ninyo, ng alaga ninyo, mayroon na kayong lahat na nandoon. Incompetence. Nahuli na, may pula, inilagay pa sa berde; paglabas, hindi ninyo hinintay ang PDEA, kayo ang nanghuli...Ang conclusion diyan kahit na kanino ko ikuwento, either Customs is incompetent or corrupt which means kung kayo ay sundalo, and I presume you're a soldier once a upon a time, and captain--you're a soldier once a upon a time, kung nagkalat ang sundalo, either you replace him because he cannot handle the battle conditions that he's under it. You replace him with another officer," he said.

Gordon vowed to pinpoint through the investigation how the illegal shipment was able to pass through practically undetected; whether BOC personnel were involved and whether it was because of the change in the BOC's system.

"My conclusion, paano nakakapagpadala nang mas maluwag ngayon? Lumuwag ba? Mayroon bang sabwatan? Paano nakakalusot? Sino ang nagpapalusot? Dahil ba pinalitan nila yung Sistema? So, you really have to find out. And that's why we're doing this. That's why we have to find out what's going on," he said.

The Blue Ribbon chair expressed umbrage that amidst the Duterte administration's relentless fight against illegal drugs, the BOC allowed the release of the shipment which could be distributed to more than 600,000 people had it reached the streets.

"Sa kabila ng ang dami-daming nadidisgrasyang mga tao ngayon -- DUI (death under investigation) ay 7,000...Hindi maintindihan kung droga o ano...And yesterday (Sunday), 15 tao, isang pamilya kasama na ang mga nakapaligid sa kanila, mag-asawa at anak o kapatid ang napatay sa Ozamis dala nito. Pero papapasukin ng Customs o sa ilalim ng ilong ng mga Customs officials itong droga na humigit-kumulang sa 605 kilograms o 605,000 na gramo na papasok dito at magkakalat at maghahasik na naman ng lagim at dilim. Pahihirapan ang mga pamilya at lahat ng trabaho ng mga kapulisan, trabaho ng Pangulong Duterte, trabaho ng mga nagmimithi na mawala na iyong drugs ay lalong hihirap ang trabaho sapagkat nadagdagan pa nang napakalaking dumating na epektos," Gordon pointed out.

"...we have to rely on the customs commissioner and the customs organization to really guard the front door of our country para hindi makapasok ang kontrabando at lalong-lalo na ang drugs alang-alang sa taong-bayan na ngayon naguguluhan dahil maraming namamatay sa droga. Hindi ba dapat pag-ingatan niyong maigi iyan because ang daming namamatay sa drugs ngayon? Galit na galit ang tao sa drugs kaya pumapalakpak pa sila pag may napapatay na kilalang drug pusher. And therefore, it is incumbent upon you as Commissioner and your team, na dapat extraordinary diligence kayo. Pina-fine tune niyo palagi iyan para hindi na mangyayari uli iyan. Tama po ba iyan?" he told Customs officials.

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