Ruffy Biazon admits 'tara' system prevalent during his time at BOC

Muntinlupa Representative Ruffy Biazon on Tuesday admitted that the "tara" system was also prevalent during his time as commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

"Alam po natin na nagaganap yung corruption at yung tara na 'to. Forever na atang naririnig 'yan at bahagi ng kalakaran at 'yun nga ang dapat nating matiktikan," Biazon said in an interview on Unang Hirit.

The congressman, however, clarified that not all officials of the BOC are accepting bribes.

"Nangyayari 'yon (tara) but it's not na masasabi natin na may participation ng lahat," he added.

Biazon served as Customs commissioner from September 2011 to December 2013. He tendered his irrevocable resignation days after he was named respondent in a malversation complaint in connection with the multi-billion peso pork barrel scandal.

Asked to clarify whether there was a system of payment between importers and Customs officials, Biazon said: "Between crooked, yes, between crooked customs."

Biazon said that he tried to stop the tara system at the BOC by trying to lessen "human intervention" between shippers and customs officers or by automating the system.

Meanwhile, he also advised importers not to engage the services of corrupt officials.

Corruption at the BOC came into light anew as the Senate and the House of Representatives probe into the bureau's failure to detect the P6.4 billion shabu shipment from China.

The BOC, during the time of Nicanor Faeldon, was able to recover the shabu shipment from a warehouse in Novaliches last May only after it was informed by its Chinese counterpart.

Faeldon, who had resigned as BOC commissioner, had been replaced by former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency official Isidro Lapeña. —Marlly Rome C. Bondoc/ALG, GMA News