Customs collector affected by revamp resigns

The Bureau of Customs district collector for the Port of Manila resigned Wednesday, saying he wanted to give President Benigno Aquino III a free hand to reform the bureau.

 

Lawyer Rogel Gatchalian said in a telephone interview that copies of his resignation letter were sent to the President, to Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, and to Customs commissioner Ruffy Biazon.

 

“Actually, irrevocable resignation (yun). Una, to give the President a free hand to reorganize the bureau. Second, I just want to show na hindi ako kapit-tuko, and third, nakalagay din dun to show my sincerity in supporting the reform agenda of the President,” he said.

 

Gatchalian is one of 27 Customs collectors whom Biazon ordered transferred to the Customs Policy Research Office (CPRO) under the Department of Finance.
 

He was appointed district collector of the Port of Manila in October 2009. Gatchalian said the Port of Manila collected P53.7 billion in 2010, up from the P38.9 billion collected in 2009.

 

“I was then awarded the distinction of being the top district collector for 2010. For 2011 and 2012, the Port of Manila further registered increases in revenue collections compared to 2008, 2009, and 2010,” Gatchalian said.

 

President Aquino criticized the Bureau of Customs in his State of the Nation Address in July for allegedly failing to curb smuggling. — JDS, GMA News