Look! Faeldon shows plain house at Taytay amid Lacson's accusations at BOC corruptions

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Accused of allegedly receiving P100 million “pasalubong” or welcome gift from smuggling syndicates, resigned Customs Chief Nicanor Faeldon showed on Thursday his run down house in Taytay, Rizal.

It was Senator Panfilo Lacson who earlier accused Faeldon, during a privilege speech Wednesday, of receiving the money upon assuming his post at the Bureau of Customs.

In his comprehensive privilege speech, Lacson said that BOC officials, including former Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, and employees collected payola – known as “tara” – amounting to P31,300 to P71,700 on each shipment smuggled through the agency.

According to Lacson, smugglers paid the BOC Central Office a “standard tara” of P19,000 to P45,000 for each contai

A day after being accused by Senator Panfilo Lacson of corruption, outgoing Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon fired back, accusing the lawmaker’s son of allegedly smuggling billions of pesos worth of cement by undervaluing the freight costs.

At a televised press conference in his home in Taytay, Rizal, Faeldon also insinuated that Panfilo Lacson Jr. and his firm Bonjourno could be “fronting” for his father.

In a privilege speech on Wednesday, Lacson accused Faeldon and several subordinates of raking in bribes, among these a P100-million “welcome gift” the commissioner allegedly received upon assuming office.

Among the others Lacson named were deputy commissioners Teddy Raval, Ariel Nepomuceno, Gerardo Gambala, Natalio C. Ecarma III, and Edward Dy Buco; Neil Estrella, head of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service; Larrybert Hilario, head of the BOC Risk Management Office; and Milo Maestrecampo, Import Assessment Service director.

Both Lacson and Faeldon are graduates of the Philippine Military Academy and former servicemen. So are six Customs officials Faeldon brought into the agency, all of whom Lacson named.

“We will bring you to justice that’s why you want us out,” Faeldon said, addressing the senator.

Earlier in his speech, Lacson said Faeldon received P100 million as “pasalubong,” or welcome gift, right after assuming his position at the Customs.

“Loud whispers in the four corners of the Bureau of Customs compound tell of a P100-million pasalubong for the newly-installed commissioner,” Lacson said.

A quarter of the “pasalubong,” Lacson said, was retained as a finder’s fee by a certain Joel Teves, Faeldon’s alleged middleman.

Faeldon, who was replaced on Monday night by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Isidro Lapeña, is caught in the middle of the P6.4-billion drug smuggling controversy, the subject of simultaneous investigations of both chambers of Congress.

Lacson said that instead of going against the system, Faeldon was swallowed by the system by “effectively tolerating and even promoting” the impunity of corruption.

“Holy mackerel!” Lacson said. “Welcome pa lang may kita na. It is an outright cash incentive, Mr. President.”

At the end of his speech, Lacson vouched for Lapeña’s integrity and hoped that he would not be swallowed by the BOC system and end up like Faeldon.

“I can only hope and pray na hindi siya kainin ng sistema gaya ng nauna sa kanya,” Lacson said.

See photos of Faeldon plain house courtesy of photo journalist at Inquirer: