NO CLEANSING

The reshuffling of personnel of the Bureau of Customs could not be an
effective means to wean out smuggling in the country. One suspected corrupt
official believed to be coddling smugglers in one area would just be
replaced by another in another area, also presumably another suspect linked
to the illegal entry of goods in the country's ports.

A reshuffling looms as Finance Undersecretary Antonio Bernardo takes over
the leadership of the Customs Bureau from former Commissioner Titus
Villanueva. The move, reports say, is part of the plan to cleanse the
agency of corrupt officials. But is relief from one's post sanction enough?
It could not be. It cannot even be classified a penalty. How can it be when
they could end up engaging in the same activity in another place, thereby
defeating the aim of weeding out the agency of scalawags.

Studies have always identified the Bureau of Customs as one of the most
graft-ridden, if not the most corrupt, agencies of government. But there
hardly are officials indicted nor have there been any Customs personnel put
behind bars for betraying the public's trust.

Yes we do, however, get reports of investigations being conducted on
Customs personnel believed linked to irregularities but it stops there. As
soon as the issue dies down, subject official ends up still free, only that
he has been reassigned to another area.

Under this scheme, how could there be cleansing? The problem is just
muddled up.