Duterte tells Faeldon to keep serving the country amid P6.4-B shabu mess

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday expressed his confidence in Bureau of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon during their meeting in Malacañang, even if P6.4 billion worth of shabu shipment from China got past customs under the latter's watch.

"The Chief Executive has expressed his full confidence in Commissioner Faeldon and told him to focus on serving the country," Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said in a statement to reporters.

Faeldon left the House hearing on the shabu shipment earlier to meet the President in Malacañang with Dominguez.

Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers earlier called on Faeldon to resign because of the smuggling incident.

The BOC, along with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency PDEA, found the 604 kilograms of shabu hidden in warehouses in Valenzuela in May.

Bureau officials, however, have been grilled in congressional hearings as regards how the huge amount of drugs got through customs examiners.

Tax collections

Meanwhile, Dominguez also confirmed that Duterte met with Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Caesar Dulay.

"The Chief Executive has asked the BIR Commissioner to accelerate tax collections to cover unexpected expenses due to natural disasters and the Marawi rebellion," he said.

The President is also scheduled to meet with senators on Tuesday, but details about the meeting have yet to be revealed. — MDM/JST, GMA News