20 Magdalo officers to be appointed to key posts at Customs, Faeldon says

At least 20 former officers that figured in the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003 will be assigned to various offices at the Bureau of Customs, Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said on Monday.

"They will be embedded in the different collection districts," said Faeldon of his comrades in the Magdalo group that took over the posh Makati City hotel to decry alleged military corruption under the Arroyo administration in July 2003.

Expected to man frontline offices at the BOC are former officers Milo Maestrecampo, Alvin Ebreo, James Layug and Gerardo Gambala.

The four were classmates at the Philippine Military Academy "Marilag" Class of 1995.

"Siguro naman nakita nyo noon na once a reformist, gusto mo talagang repormahin kahit saan ka pumunta na opisina," Maestrecampo said.

Faeldon admitted that running a revenue-generating agency like the BOC was not his expertise.

However, he added that he could surely provide the "leadership and the will to reform."

During his first flag raising ceremony as BOC chief on Monday, Faeldon pushed for a few of his priority programs.

Faeldon said he aimed to shorten the time needed to the release shipments at the country's ports from five days down to just five hours, as long as there are no irregularities with the cargoes.

Faeldon added that he wanted port collectors to be the sole signatories of transaction documents at their respective ports. —with Joseph Tristan Roxas/NB, GMA News