MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has concluded its investigation into an employee who allegedly accepted P220 million in monthly bribes, and has submitted its case to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

This was announced by customs chief Nicanor Faeldon on Monday, August 22, during a press conference with Palace reporters.

“We have also have a strong case against one of our employees, the name is Customs Police Captain Arnel Baylosis…. I’ve already forwarded the case folder of this employee to the Department of Justice for investigation,” he said. 

Faeldon claimed Baylosis received from P100 million to P220 million in bribes every month since 2012. Four persons who supposedly handed Baylosis the bribes confirmed this through affidavits. 

“Four individuals who had direct transactions with him testified through affidavit that previously, since 2012, they had been giving bribe money. It’s called in the Customs ‘tara,’ amounting to at least 100, 220 million pesos monthly,” said Faeldon.

It is now up to the DOJ to conduct its own investigation of Baylosis. He is only one of many BOC employees who are being probed for corrupt practives, said Faeldon. 

“We are continuously isolating and tracking all the bureau officials that are believed to be very corrupt,” he said. 

The weeding out of dishonest personnel is the agency’s way of complying with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to eliminate corruption from government agencies.

Last weekend, Duterte announced his dissatisfaction with how the anti-corruption campaign was going. He ordered all presidential appointees to vacate their posts – his response to the supposed persistence of corruption in government.

The Palace later on clarified that Duterte’s order covers only appointees from the Aquino administration, the Land Transportation Office, and the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board.

The BOC also targets the installation of CCTV cameras in all frontline offices in Manila ports in 30 days. – Rappler.com