Davao officials behind corruption: Taguba

Batas Mauricio

ARE payoffs at the Bureau of Customs to facilitate the release of goods, as private broker Mark Taguba told our senators from the Senate on Tuesday, to be considered a new thing for Filipinos? Well no, this is something that is already well-known to all of our countrymen.

Everybody in this country knows that at the Bureau of Customs, and in many other agencies of government, payoffs involving even billions of pesos are ordinary day-to-day occurrences among them. Nothing is going to move in any office of government if there is no palm-greasing among those in power, especially in agencies that issue permits and licenses.

The only possible new thing that the disclosures of Mark raised was the alleged involvement of officials from Davao City. Many of our countrymen, especially those who dared to dream of real changes in accordance with the promises made by President Duterte when he was still campaigning, were shocked to know that payoff syndicates now come from Davao City.

Of course, Mark did not personally meet the person identified by him as “Pulong” or “Paolo,” who seems to refer to one of the children of the President. Mark managed to come face to face and dealt personally only with an alleged councilor of Davao City, allegedly Councilor Nilo Abellera, ang one named “Jack,” through the maneuvers of one “Tita Nani.”

But there is a problem here. Would the councilor and Jack dare to receive millions from a broker so the broker could have the power to bring out shipments from the Bureau of Customs even if these shipments are illegal? What power would the councilor and Jack possess to enable them to compel Customs officials to obey their wishes even if they appear to be minor city officials only?

Then, it would also appear that a customs broker in the likes of Taguba can truly facilitate the release of shipments after he allegedly paid P5 million. Is this on account of the influence of the councilor and Jack, or on account of the influence of whoever is behind them? From where — or, perhaps, from whom — do the councilor and Jack derive their power at the Bureau of Customs?

If we study carefully the disclosures coming from Taguba, it would not fail to impress us that corruption continues to thrive — and thrive well — at the Bureau of Customs. The fact that he is able to cause the release of shipments, even of illegal ones, is proof enough of this continuing corruption.

The question now is this: If at the Bureau of Customs, corruption is thriving, would it not be also correct to assume that the same thing is occurring in other agencies of government now? It would seem only those who command that things be done one way or another have changed, but corruption remains. Happy days continue there, although under different bosses now.

I don’t know what the President is going to say about this. I also don’t know what his supporters will say. But let me repeat this here. Corruption and plunder against a nation, with no one to rescue the people – either from the administration or the opposition — was already prophesied to happen to us, because we have turned our backs on God. Yes, truly, we are to blame for this corruption!

E-mail: batasmauricio@yahoo.com