The Philippine Online Chronicles

President Benigno Aquino III criticized the continuing corruption at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in a speech at the agency's 110th anniversary Monday.

Aquino described the anomalous practices, still ongoing despite efforts by previous Commissioner Angelito Alvarez and current BOC head Ruffino Biazon, as “like being slapped in the face.”

In his keynote speech, the president reminded BOC employees of continued examples of poor practices, such as Porsche-driving clerk Paulino Elevado's recent traffic altercation, where he allegedly beat up and shot at two fellow motorists.

Elevado is currently missing, but has been charged with attempted murder. He has until Tuesday to report for work, or he will face dismissal.

Aquino also recalled the 2,000 container vans that disappeared along the South Luzon Expressway last year.

“I had no idea David Copperfield has a cousin here in the Philippines,” the president said in Filipino, referring to the American magician who performs vanishing illusions. “No more missing container vans, please.”

The president also noted that the government lost PhP40 billion in revenues due to the smuggling of oil and oil products into the country last year, and was upset at the continuing smuggling of drugs, weapons and rice into the country.

The Bureau of Customs is the government agency that generates the second-highest revenue, accounting for a full fifth of the state's total revenue. While it collected a record PhP256.81 billion last year, this was still short of its PhP320 billion goal.