2 senators welcome Faeldon’s resignation

MANILA — Two senators on Tuesday described the resignation of Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon as a “welcome development” noting that it was the right thing to do amid the congressional probe on the PHP6.4 billion worth of shabu from China that slipped through his bureau.

“It’s a welcome development. Faeldon’s position and continued stay in the customs became untenable given the fact that, if he’s not involved in smuggling, then he is incompetent,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon told reporters in an interview.

“He could not continuously stay there. It’s good that he’s gone,” he added.

Drion, however, said that his resignation did not mean that he was already off the hook.

“If there is complicity, he can still be included in the prosecution in the dangerous drugs act,” he added.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, for his part, said that President Rodrigo Duterte made the right decision to remove Faeldon.

“’Di natin mahuhulaan ang nasa isip ngPangulo pero mabuti na rin na gumawa ng aksyon na ganoon (We can’t guess what President Duterte is thinking but it’s good that he made this move),” Lacson told reporters in a separate interview.

Lacson reiterated that the longer Faeldon stayed in his post, the more people wondered why it seemed like the President was passive over the illegal shipment which slipped through the BOC.

On Monday night, President Duterte announced the appointment of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director Isidro Lapena as the new BOC Commissioner.

He said that this meant that Faeldon’s resignation was considered “automatic.” Prior to Lapena’s appointment, Faeldon asked Duterte to be relieved from his post.