Lapeña bids Customs goodbye

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña on Monday attended his last flag ceremony with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) ahead of his transfer to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

According to Jun Veneracion's report on Balitanghali, Lapeña bid goodbye to the BOC and its employees after a year and two months with the agency.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week announced that Lapeña would be transferred to TESDA amid a legislative inquiry into the alleged smuggling of P11 billion worth of shabu into the country.

Lapeña will be replaced by former Armed Forces chief Leonardo Guerrero.

Lapeña said his transfer to TESDA was a promotion for him, adding the appointment was a sign of Duterte's trust in him despite the smuggling allegations. He denied involvement in corruption.

With the removal of Lapeña, Duterte on Sunday evening announced that the Philippine military will instead take over the operations of the BOC. —Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/KBK, GMA News