Philippine Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon will keep chief executive assistant and Bureau of Customs (BOC) spokesperson, Atty. Mandy Therese Anderson, on his team, despite censure received by Anderson about a Facebook post from Majority Floor Leader Rodofo Fariñas.
“I will let Atty. Mandy Anderson remain in the Bureau as we need more people like her whose character is untainted with politics and corruption. Also, her personal opinion does not reflect or affect her efficacy in public service. We will remain firm in our resolve to provide good public service,” Faeldon said in a statement.
In a Ways and Means committee hearing on July 26, Fariñas called out Anderson for a post she shared on her private Facebook account on June 16 about a news story on House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez threatening to dissolve the Court of Appeals over the detention case of six Ilocos Norte officials.
Anderson wrote: “I’m hoping and praying he tries so he realizes what an imbecile he is when he fails. Isn’t there anyone else in the House composed of 200+ representatives who can actually be Speaker? Nakakahiya na (It’s embarrassing)!”
During the July 26 hearing, Anderson said, “I believe I have the freedom to express my opinion regarding our elected officials.”
Faeldon said he is not condoning Anderson’s actions, noting she is entitled to her own opinions. Her views “on her Facebook account are solely hers and (do) not represent the views of the Bureau of Customs.”
Recommendation for promotion
Faeldon said the issue against Anderson and the BOC “may have risen from the promotion of one of the BOC employees.”
He narrated that in May, he and Anderson “turned down a favor from a congressman to grant the promotion of this employee. However, it did not materialize as the employee was not qualified for the position,” Faeldon explained.
The congressman turned out to be Speaker Alvarez. He recommended to Faeldon a certain Sandy Sacluti as customs operations officer V at the Formal Entry Division of the Port of Manila, according to a report by Rappler.
In a radio interview on July 26, Anderson said she was contacted by the staff of Alvarez for the promotion of a certain customs official. When the request was denied, she was called into Alvarez’ office and scolded by the House Speaker. She later received a call from Alvarez’s head assistant, claiming the speaker’s “marching order” was “to bring hell” to Anderson and Faeldon.
Anderson said her Facebook post was made after the encounter with Alvarez and his staff. She admitted there was anger behind what she wrote.
Last Friday, Alvarez confirmed endorsing Sacluti for promotion at the BOC but denied this was a case of “lobbying,” arguing it was only one of his many routine recommendations.
He also denied the claim of Anderson that he gave his staff marching orders to “bring hell to me and the commissioner.”
Faeldon said BOC “does not have any inclination towards any of the politicians but we only follow the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte – that is to have an honest, clean and corrupt-free Bureau of Customs.”
The customs chief said the bureau is now observing a more stringent process of promotion. “This is no longer the time to promote employees based on recommendations alone. Promotion must be based on qualifications and performance,” he pointed out.
“Sa totoo lang, ilang beses nang napromote ang empleyadong ito for the past years pero yung ibang empleyado natin dito, limang taon, sampung taon at ang iba ay dalawampung taon na sa ahensiya ay kahit isang beses hindi nakatikim ng promotion (Employee in question has been promoted several times in the past years. Other employees have been at BOC for five, ten, even 20 years and have not even been promoted,” Faeldon added.
“President Rodrigo Duterte himself asked me to reform this bureau and I believe, hiring skilled and competent employees who have the highest moral decency and integrity is vital in this transformation.”
