Faeldon strikes back : Sen. Lacson, son is a Smuggler!!!

Nicanor Faeldon , the resigned Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner on Thursday accused Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and his son Panfilo “Pampi” Lacson of smuggling.

In a press conference, Faeldon dropped the name of Panfilo Lacson, Jr. is the managing director of a company called "Bonjourno." Lacson Jr.’s company is allegedly guilty of undervaluing its shipments by 50 percent , it declares only $8 when the prevailing market value is at around $16 of cement.

“Ito ‘yung kinakatakutan niyo kasi nakikita na naming that's why you want us out. I can’t believe you are part of this, how can you explain this?” the resigned Customs commissioner said.

Resigned Bureau of Customs Nicanor Faeldon drops a bomb after Senator Panfilo Lacson allegation he received P100 million as a "welcome gift", he now claims the Senator and his son is a smuggler of cement (Photo credit to PDI)

“Player ka ba? Player ba ang anak mo? Dummy mo ang anak mo?” he added

The resigned BOC commissioner showed media documents showing billions of pesos worth of allegedly smuggled shipments of cement.

Since Lacson "seems to know everything in the BOC," Faeldon said he must be aware of his son's illegal activities.

"Magkano ba ang binayaran niyong taripa? Magkano ba ang binayaran niyo tax? E ang dami niyong sementong dinala sa bayan. Now kung di magtugma yan, by the hundreds of million, smuggler po kayo Sen. Lacson unless sabihin niyo sakin na hindi niyo alam ang activity ni Panfilo Lacson, Jr," Faeldon said.

Faeldon even challenged Senator Dick Gordon chairman of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee who is investigating the P6.4 billion worth of shabu that passe through BOC from China, to probe  Senator Lacson and his son.

"Imbestigahan natin ito (Let us investigate this) because this is smuggling of cement by a high-ranking government official," Faeldon said.

He said Lacson accused him and other Customs officials of corruption to get them out of the bureau.

"Ito ang kinakatukatan mo, Sir. We are getting close to getting you, to exposing you," Faeldon said. "We will bring you to justice that's why you want us out." *

 Lacson’s privilege speech

 Yesterday, Senator Lacson in his privilege speech alleged that resigned Bureau of Customs Chief Nicanor Faeldon may have received a P100-million “welcome gift” when he assumed office last year.

A certain Joel Teves was the one who received an amount of P25 million as “finder’s fee”, Lacson said.

“Loud whispers in the four corners of the Bureau of Customs compound tell of a P100-million 'pasalubong' to the newly-installed commissioner, a quarter of which, or P25 million was retained as finder's fee by his middleman named Joel Teves,” Lacson said in a privilege speech.

How many of you still remember the case six years ago of a Customs clerk named Paulino Elevado, who was discovered by accident, literally, to be the owner of a pricey Porsche Carrera sports car? Aside from his Porsche, this Elevado also owned a fleet of six other luxury cars, two houses in an upscale subdivision. His salary? 9,000 pesos per month.

Clerk pa lang yan, hindi pa bossing.

It is time to bring the intensity of the war against drugs to the war against corruption.

Ramdam na ramdam ang war against drugs.

Araw araw, ang daming napapatay.

Pero, ang war against corruption, bakit wala na yata tayong naririnig na nakukulong? *

I have always believed that in the fight against corruption, we should only have one single standard.

Faeldon during  one of the Senate hearings, admits that there is still corruption in the Bureau. And that the responsibility of cleaning the most corrupt government agency in the country is difficult when he is alone.

Lacson, blasted Faeldon saying “he should have stood firm even if he was alone.”

“Even granting Mr. Faeldon's assertion that he was working alone, if he was the principled man that he said he is, he should have stood firm even if he was alone,” he said.

“Unfortunately, instead of going against the system, siya ang kinain ng sistema, thereby effectively tolerating and even promoting the impunity of corruption,” he said.

Faeldon in a statement, denied participating in the so-called "tara" system of bribes at the Customs bureau 

"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," he said. He also said an investigation by a a competent "third party" to get to the truth of the allegations.

Lacson’s Political ambitions??

 The resigned BOC chief said he was shocked by the tirades from the senator whom he accused of grandstanding for the political ambition of targeting the presidency in 2022. *

 “Gusto mo bang magpasikat? O baka tatakbo kang presidente ulit. You've proven that already. Do you want to do this at the expense of our families? Sinisira mo ang pangalan nila,” he continued.