Lacson: ‘Tara’ system continues at Customs

Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday that the "tara" or payoff system at the Bureau of Customs continues despite his expose on the massive corruption two years ago.

While claiming that Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero has remained untainted by corruption, Lacson said he could not say the same for many of the latter’s subordinates.

“I was informed just recently that the tara system has not been, by any chance, suppressed. Worse, for many Customs officials, it remains business-as-usual. My sources confirm that the following departments/sections in the Bureau of Customs continue to take their tara per container,” he said in a privilege speech.

He said the Office of the Commissioner (OCOM) receive an average of P5,000 per container plus 10 percent of the collections of each section/office directly under OCOM; P3,000 for Intelligence Group; P1,000 to P2,000 for Enforcement Group; P3,000 for Risk Management Office; and P2,000 to P3,000 for Import and Assessment Service.

“Kung kani-kanino napupunta ang nasabing mga “tara” for his office or the Office of the Commissioner, I will leave it to General Guerrero to investigate and find out,” he said.

He added the Manila International Container Port and Port of Manila district offices receive P3,000 per container and each container with alert order may be charged as high as P50,000.

“With the average of 2,000 and 7,000 containers transacted for release every week at both the Port of Manila and MICP, imagine how much tara goes to the pockets of these insatiably corrupt Customs officials,” the senator said.

Lacson said totally weeding out corruption in the BOC is another standing challenge to Guerrero.

“To uphold your strong integrity and moral principles is a test of your character. The test of your leadership, on the other hand, is how your integrity and principles resound in the halls of your office and influence the actions and behavior of your subalterns. To fail in one is to fail in both,” he said.

He added the Filipino people demand much from Guerrero’s leadership.

“While I continue to vouch for your character as it remains unquestionable, some of your people are afflicted with severely debilitated credibility, which may eventually reflect on you and the institution that you lead and represent,” he said.

In 2017, Lacson said the BOC has become a “haven” for crooks as its officials, including then Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon received payola. 

He said Faeldon’s office supposedly receives P5,000 to P10,000 in payola per container which the latter denied. —LDF, GMA News