Faeldon: Duterte said 'I do not need personal loyalty but I want you to continue to be loyal'

Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Duterte told him he values loyalty and wants him to continue being loyal.

"Pagkatapos ng pagpupulong, sabi niya sa 'kin ay 'I trust you, so my marching order to you is to continue to serve this country.' At sinabi niyang 'I do not need personal loyalty but I want you to continue to be loyal in this country.' 'Yan po 'yung sinabi niya sa akin," Faeldon said in an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita.

Duterte on Tuesday expressed his confidence in 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.

Faeldon on Tuesday was earlier allowed to leave the House committee hearing on the shabu shipment to meet Duterte.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez was also present in the said meeting.

Meanwhile, Faeldon said there were other issues tackled during their meeting with Duterte aside from the shabu shipment. However, he did not elaborate.

The Commissioner also said that he told Duterte everything he had already stated during the House committee hearing.

"Kung ano 'yung naririnig na sinasabi doon sa mga hearing, 'yun din 'yung sinabi ko sa kanya," he said.

Faeldon said the President did not doubt him.

"Wala naman pong pagdududa 'yung ating [Pangulo]. Hindi lang naman siguro 'yung Presidente tsaka karamihan ng ating mamamayan, nakita naman nila ata [na] hindi naman tayo nasasangkot sa mga ganyang gawain," he said.

He earlier admitted during the inquiry by the House committee on dangerous drugs that he heard about the corruption within the Bureau. However, he said that he does not have evidence to prove this.

Won't quit

In a press conference on Wednesday in Manila, Faeldon said he will not quit, but will instead work toward ending corruption in the BOC.

"They can kick me out anytime, but this is a mission for me. I am a soldier," he said.

This comes after House of Representatives Committee on Dangerous Drugs Chairperson Representative Robert Ace Barbers called for his resignation for his "ineptitude" in relation to the smuggling of the P6.4-billion worth of shabu into the country.

Barbers on Tuesday chided Faeldon for failure to intercept the said shipment, and only found it in a warehouse in Valenzuela City in May. —Marlly Rome Bondoc and Jon Viktor Cabuenas/KG, GMA News