Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay declared that the investigation into various anomalies involving Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez should not rest even if President Aquino decides to relieve him of his duties.
Magsaysay made the reaction amid reports that that former senatorial candidate Ruffy Biazon is poised to assume the position of Customs chief in the weeks to come, replacing the embattled Alvarez who has found his name linked to various controversies in the bureau, chief among them the mysterious disappearance of over 2,000 containers of goods from the Port of Manila, costing the bureau some P3 billion in foregone taxes.
“Even if the President suddenly decides to replace him, he should still be held accountable for the mishaps in the bureau during the time he was there. As a public official, we cannot simply dismiss these anomalies just because he will no longer be there,” she said.
“A public office is a public trust and as a public official, he should answer to the questions raised in the investigation, especially since the evidence directly links him to anomalies,” Magsaysay added.
Magsaysay has earlier filed a resolution before the House Ways and Means Committee to conduct an inquiry into the various controversies surrounding the Customs bureau including Alvarez’s alleged links with smugglers in the bureau.
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