Customs privatization ‘unconstitutional’ — solon

• Written by  PNA
• Monday, 29 April 2013 00:00 

A House leader yesterday warned against any proposal or move to abolish the Bureau of Customs (BoC) and replace it with a professional institution run by private officials and employees, noting that such is “unconstitutional.”

House Deputy Majority Leader Magtanggol Guni-gundo opposed the BoC replacement, which is among various proposals raised to stamp out corruption and smuggling at the agency.
“That’s a very dangerous proposition. Tax collection is a power that only the government can exercise. It will be unconstitutional to give that power to a private ins-titution that is profit-driven,” said Gunigundo, who was former chief of the Special Anti-Smuggling Unit of then Customs Commissioner Guillermo Parayno.
Instead of abolishing the BoC, he said there should be long-range restructuring of the agency and the BoC should be given fiscal autonomy to make it a strong bureau that can withstand political pressure.
“Exercise political will and apply the attrition law even if it involves BoC officials protected by powerful politicians,” he stressed.
During his time at the BoC, Gunigundo said the agency’s anti-smuggling campaign was effective. “It was effective because Malacañang protected us from the ire of politicians. We could run after contraband, re-assign personnel even if the person is backed by top government officials.”
He also disagreed with calls from some sectors to replace Customs chief Ruffy Biazon. “I am not in favor of that. Changing the head alone will not make BoC any better.”
Earlier, Biazon said he had initial talks with President Aquino about the ultimate solution to smuggling and corruption in the BoC.
Biazon said corruption is deeply embedded in the BoC’s culture and system so dismissing a few people or catching some smugglers will not totally eradicate the corruption problem.
The BoC official said the solution is to completely automate the system that will stop direct dealings between customs employees and importers. Biazon also proposed abolishing the entire Customs bureau to get rid of all the corrupt officials and employees in the agency.