Duterte wants to remove brokers from BOC

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the oath-taking ceremony of the officers of the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines at the Malacañan Palace on September 10, 2019. ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte said he would want to remove brokers at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to curb corruption within the agency.

“Itong sa Customs, ang gusto ko, wala nang brokers (This one in Customs, I want brokers to be gone),” Duterte said during a media interview after the oath-taking rites of Malacanang Press Corps on Tuesday night.

“Pagka may brokers, may corruption talaga ‘yan. Ngayon, sinasabi ko, sabihin mo sa Pilipino, kung gusto talaga nila walang corruption, tanggalin na natin ‘yan mga ano gross, wala nang examiner sa Customs, wala nang brokers (If there are brokers, there’s really corruption involved. Now. I’m saying, tell Filipinos, if they really want to curb corruption, remove those gross, no more examiners in Customs, no more brokers),” he added.

Duterte said that he would be able to cut corruption overnight if brokers are removed.

“Take away the brokers and you would have cut corruption overnight. In a scale of one to 10, maybe you have reduced corruption to about eight — eight and one half,” Duterte said.

Instead of brokers, Duterte suggested allowing the BOC to accredit persons to arrange their shipments. He also urged the bureau to ignore brokers.

“You designate. ‘Yung importers will designate a person who will be accredited with the Bureau of Customs and they are the only ones allowed to go there,” Duterte said.

“You ignore the brokers. You — you go to a broker, I will not deal with you,” he added.

The President said that he would not wait for Congress to pass a law eliminating brokers at the BOC.

“Hindi ako maghintay ng (I won’t wait for a) law,” Duterte said.

“Sabihin ko lang (I’m just going to tell them).

I cannot — you know, I have… I am the executive of this government. There are things which I have to do that Congress cannot tinker with,” he added.

Duterte also said corruption in government made him want to resign.

“Eh gusto ko na ngang mag-resign eh. Sabi ko, hindi ko kaya. Lahat ng opisina nitong gobyerno na ito, kung masunog ko lang ito diyan sa ano, sunugin ko na (I want to resign. I said, I can’t handle it anymore. All offices in this government, if I could burn them, I would),” Duterte said.

“Gusto kong mag-resign kasi napapaiyak ako. Hindi ko talaga kaya. Ngayon (I want to resign because it’s making me cry. I really can’t handle it anymore. Now), I’m just coasting along,” he added.