No reappointment for Faeldon: Duterte

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the launch of the second phase of the decommissioning of Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants and weapons at the Old Provincial Capitol Compound in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on September 7, 2019. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — For President Rodrigo Duterte, dismissed Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon has had enough controversies to be given a new position in his Cabinet.

In an exclusive interview over 24 Oras on Saturday (Sept. 7) which was aired on Monday (Sept. 9), Duterte bared that he has no plans of reappointing Faeldon despite having done so in the past.

“No, not…I don’t think so. He has had enough of controversies in the last few years,” Duterte said.

Prior to being BuCor chief, Faeldon was deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), a disaster-response agency under the Department of National Defense (DND).

Before that, Faeldon was BOC Commissioner but resigned after being tagged in the PHP6.4 billion worth of shabu that slipped past the agency in May 2017.

Duterte, however, said he still trusts Faeldon, noting that he refused to believe that he was involved in corruption within the BuCor.

“But I do not believe that he’s dishonest,” he added.

In a recent speech in Naga City, Cebu, Duterte cited Faeldon’s contribution to the government when he was still commissioner of the Bureau of Customs particularly the seizure of PHP3.2 billion worth of Mighty Corp. cigarettes with fake tax stamps in Bulacan.

“There was a day when a businessman had two warehouses of cigarettes carrying fake tax stamps. It was Faeldon who tipped me off, sir, two warehouses were found. If he silently talked to the owner and asked for himself, it would made him millions,” Duterte said.

Duterte said he is currently deciding on Faeldon’s replacement.

Currently, BuCor Assistant Secretary and Deputy Director General Melvin Ramon Buenafe serves as officer-in-charge.

Last Sept. 4, Duterte sacked Faeldon for disobeying his order to block the release of heinous crimes convicts under the controversial Good Conduct and Time Allowance (GCTA) law.

Meanwhile, Duterte ordered all heinous crimes convicts who have been released to surrender to police and military and have their sentence recomputed.

“I’m just asking you to come back, If you fall within the category of those who can be released, you can go home. And for the heinous crimes, well, let me think about it. Either I set you free or I’ll drop you there in the Pasig river,” Duterte said.

“My order is to get you dead or alive,” he added.