(Eagle News) — Former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon on Wednesday denied the allegations he received a welcome gift of P100 million as when he took over the helm of the Bureau of Customs, saying he “has not done any form of corruption in (his) many years of government service.”
“I have not asked anybody to collect tara for me nor have I accepted any tara from anybody. Again, I have not done any form of corruption in my many years of government service, nor tolerated those who tried even in the form of request. No is no,” he said in a statement.
He also called for a “third-party investigation by a competent body,” noting that the “country will appreciate it,” and “so that justice will be served.’
“Just like the Honorable Senator (Panfilo) Lacson and the Filipino people, I want the truth to come out,” he said.
In an explosive privilege speech, Lacson revealed the names of Customs officials, personnel; and players in the bureau’s “tara system.”
He said leading the pack was Faeldon, who, based on information, received a P100-million “pasalubong” after taking over the BoC.
The senator said a quarter of the amount was “retained as finder’s fee” by Faeldon’s “middleman,” Joel Teves.
President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Isidro Lapena to replace Faeldon, who was already under fire for his alleged incompetence after he supposedly bungled what could have been a strong case against two foreigners believed behind a P6.4-billion drug shipment in May.
