One of the four magnetic scrap lifters which reportedly concealed P6.8 billion worth of shabu.
Bureau of Customs Chief Isidro Lapeña is deeply saddened by the recent turn of events as, this time, allegations are being thrown at the men and women of the agency.
This, following the discovery of the four magnetic lifters in Cavite by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Lapeña, however, made it clear that it was the Bureau of Customs who shared the discovery of the said magnetic lifters to PDEA.
He added that it was agreed upon by the officers on the ground that the matter will be put under wrap.
But on August 10, a press conference was held by PDEA Director General Aquino, which burned the entire follow up operations.
Despite this, the BOC intelligence and investigation service, together with PDEA Regional Office 4A, continued the backtracking effort.
Lapeña said the timing is suspect, as these press releases and interviews were made while he was on leave and cannot refute the allegations right away.
“There is no doubt, that these attacks against me and the officers, men and women of the Bureau of Customs is a well-funded and coordinated attack to undermine the reforms,” he said.
The BOC noted earlier that a fact-finding team was immediately formed after the discovery of the magnetic lifters in Cavite to investigate the BOC officers assigned on it.
“On the statement that I did nothing with these incidents and trying to do some cover up, is absolutely false and I say were imputed with malice,” Lapeña said.
He added that it is a fact that drug syndicates have penetrated the government, and that they exist in the BOC, in PDEA and other branches of the government.
He added that this is based on the matrix recently shown by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Lapeña believes that the issue against the BOC is being manipulated by the drug syndicates in order to divert the focus away from them.
Despite all these allegations, Lapeña reiterated that he will not resign and that he will continue to fulfill the marching orders of the president to effect reforms in the bureau. JL Asayo | UNTV News and Rescue
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