Faeldon spoke arrogantly too soon, says Lacson

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Thursday said Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon "spoke arrogantly too soon" after President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his confidence in him.

In an interview on radio dzBB, Lacson, who was among the group of senators who were summoned to Malacañang this week, reiterated that Duterte told them that he will wait for the committee reports of Congress on the investigation of the P6.4 billion worth of shabu that was smuggled into the country from China, before deciding on Faeldon's fate.

"Sa aming pagpupulong ang sinabi niya doon hihintayin niya 'yung report ng mga kongresista at itratato niya na seryosong input kung ano man 'yung magiging committee report na isusumite ng dalawang kapulungan," he said.

With this, Lacson said Faeldon is still not "safe" regarding the issues hounding the Bureau of Customs.

"Kaya ang sinasabi niya doon hindi ligtas dito si Commissioner Faeldon kasi sabi niya pakikinggan ko ang findings ninyo. 'Yun ang kanyang mensahe," he said.

"Kaya I think si Commissioner Faeldon, he spoke arrogantly too soon. Kasi noong sinabihan siya na may kompiyansa sa kanya ang Pangulo, parang medyo offensive 'yung dating niya sa mga kongresista kasi sabi niya, 'Shame on you,'" he added.

Lacson was referring to Faeldon's earlier appeal to some members of Congress to stop backing the promotion of some employees of the Bureau, which he said were among the unreasonable requests forwarded to his office.

"I am appealing to you. You know that your request is a form of [corruption] but you insist and magagalit pa kayo... Shame on you. Stop it," Faeldon said during a briefing in Manila.

Meanwhile, Lacson emphasized that Duterte will base his decision upon the results of the pending congressional investigation.

"Papaano ngayon kung bweltahan siya ng mga congressmen at adverse 'yung gawing committee report eh ma-fa-factor in 'yon sa final decision ng Presidente kung ano 'yung magiging kapalaran niya?" he said.

Duterte on Wednesday said that he is giving Faeldon a chance to prove his integrity, noting that he would allow due process to take its course.

"I believe in his integrity. As a matter of fact, he was in Davao four years ago when he was together with some military men, and they were urging me to run," he said.

"The complaint then, as now, is that corruption nga. So we will look into it. But I said I would be fair," he added. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG/KVD, GMA News