(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Isidro Lapeña to head the Customs bureau.
“If somebody is appointed in the position, meaning to say, automatic na ‘yun, umalis ka. But Faeldon, in fairness to him, tried to resign thrice,” Duterte said, referring to Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon.
Faeldon is under fire after a P6.4-billion drug shipment entered the country via Customs express lanes.
Lawmakers looking into the matter have called him incompetent after he allegedly bungled what could have been a strong case against the two Taiwanese believed involved in the shipment when he refused to do a control-inventory upon the suggestion of PDEA.
According to Duterte, Philippine National Police Region III director Chief. Supt. Aaron Aquino would replace Lapeña at the helm of PDEA.
According to Duterte, Aquino was at one time assigned to Davao where the President was mayor for over two decades.
In a statement, Faeldon said his relief from his post “is the best for our country.”
“”I thank everyone who has supported the Bureau of Customs during my stay..,” he said.
He also appealed to Customs employees and the public “to support the new commissioner.”
“I urge everyone to continue to support the reform agenda and the development programs of the President,” he said.
