INC bet? Raval takes oath as customs enforcement head

MANILA, Philippines – The man whose alleged political accommodation by Malacañang caused a customs chief to resign took his oath on Monday, June 15, as the new director of the enforcement unit of the tax-collecting agency.

In a ceremony witnessed only by his superiors, lawyer Teddy Raval was sworn in as director of the Enforcement and Security Service of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), replacing former police official Willie Tolentino.

Commissioner Alberto Lina administered Raval’s oath to oversee the 400-strong police force of the BOC.

Lina earlier made it clear he had no problems with Raval, a lawyer, being appointed to head what has traditionally been a post for officials with police background.

Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Group Ariel Nepomuceno said Lina directed Raval to improve security and disaster preparedness at the BOC. 

“He must help us pursue the reform agenda of the President and Commissioner Lina,” Nepomuceno said.

“For the long term, he will help in the reform agenda, but the immediate concern of the commissioner is the preparedness of the bureau in security, fire, earthquake, and other disasters. Immediately, he has to look into those things because apart from the employees of the bureau, there are stakeholders from the outside who are processing their documents,” the deputy commissioner added.

Raval’s appointment as enforcement head became controversial after then Commissioner John Sevilla cited him as one of the reasons he was resigning in April. 

Sevilla said Malacañang was being pressured by the bloc-voting religious organization Iglesia Ni Cristo to have Raval appointed – against the promotion process at the BOC.

Raval was head of the customs bureau’s intellectual property rights division at the time.

Former Commissioner Sevilla was not the only one against Raval’s appointment to the enforcement unit. Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Jessie Dellosa had also threatened to quit and bring with him other former generals in the agency if Raval became the enforcement head. – Rappler.com