Palace official: Performance, not propaganda got Alvarez

President Benigno Aquino’s displeasure over the performance of Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez has nothing to do with the supposed black propaganda staged against the latter as he has claimed. In a phone interview with Malacañang reporters, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President assessed the performance of the Cabinet secretaries “Certainly 'yung performance talaga ‘yan. ‘Yun naman po ang tinitignan ng Pangulo and ‘yung merit naman po ang kinu-consider," she said when asked on Alvarez’ statement that the accusations hurled against him could have affected Aquino’s perception. In an interview with GMA’s Unang Hirit Tuesday morning, Alvarez said some of the syndicates in the Bureau of Customs (BOC) affected by his anti-smuggling campaign could have found their way to tarnish his reputation. “’Yung mga smugglers well entrenched ‘yan, ang dami nilang access. Kaibigan ng kaibigan, maaring merong nakakapagbulong, possible ‘yun, e," he said.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Cleanse the system Asked what Malacañang expects from the new Customs commissioner, Valte said for the official to cleanse the system and achieve its collection goal. “Unti-unti pong linisin ‘yung mga hindi magandang sistema sa Customs and of course, being a revenue-generating agency, gusto natin is kung hindi man makamit ‘yung target ay bubukod ng very, very little. Kailangan natin talaga ‘yung revenue na nanggagaling dyan sa BOC," she said. In the first seven months of 2011, BOC collections reached P149.840 billion, or 2.04 percent lower than the P152.960 billion collected in the same 2010 period, with non-cash collections dropping to P2.217 billion from P19.969 billion Saying he was no longer satisfied with Alvarez’ performance, President Aquino earlier said that he has found a replacement. Rumors have it that former Muntinlupa congressman and defeated senatorial bet Ruffy Biazon, who belongs to Aquino’s Liberal Party, will replace Alvarez. Biazon refused to comment on the supposed appointment, saying he is waiting for Malacañang’s announcement and that he has not yet talked to the President. Alvarez is embroiled the controversial 2,000 container vans that went missing from the Port of Batangas. As a result, government lost P240 million in lost revenues. — VS, GMA News