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Palace: Duterte still trusts Customs chief Lapeña


President Rodrigo Duterte still trusts Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Isidro Lapeña even after an estimated P6.8 billion worth of shabu slipped past authorities at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), Malacañang said on Monday.

"Buo ang paniniwala pa rin at tiwala ni Presidente kay General Lapeña at ang nais niyang mangyari ay kung paano masusugpo ito nang matigil na ang practice na ito," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told reporters.

Lapeña said on Saturday that if only the BOC had been immediately alerted of the presence of shabu hidden in magnetic lifters discovered by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Cavite, he could have eventually ordered the seizure of the shipments.

Authorities believe the magnetic lifters seized had just been used to transport illegal drugs, which they said had already slipped past them and could already be circulating in the streets.

The House of Representatives will begin its probe into the matter on Tuesday.

Roque said the President called for close coordination between the BOC and PDEA in fighting the drug menace, adding drug syndicates have become more sophisticated in their ways in order for drugs to go unnoticed during port inspections.

"Walang dahilan para hindi magkaroon ng mas malapitang koordinasyon pero kinakailangan pong masugpo ito at kinakailangan na ma-identify kung sino behind this para ma-trace natin kung sino ang hahabulin sa mga droga na nakapasok," he said.

A former PDEA chief, Lapeña said the BOC remains firm in its resolve in the fight against illegal drugs.

He said the BOC has so far seized nearly P4 billion smuggled illegal drugs and arrested 12 personalities for 2018. — RSJ, GMA News

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