MANILA, Philippines — Former Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon's appointment to the Office of Civil Defense is an opportunity for him to prove his critics wrong, Malacañang said yesterday.
Faeldon, who was tagged in a corruption scandal in the customs bureau earlier this year, was named civil defense deputy administrator last week.
Officials have justified the appointment, saying allegations against the former Customs chief have not been proven. They said Faeldon still enjoys the trust and confidence of President Rodrigo Duterte, who promised not to tolerate even a whiff of corruption in government.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar stressed that Duterte has the prerogative to appoint people he thinks are effective in performing tasks.
"The most important...is the trust and confidence of our president," Andanar told radio station dzBB Sunday.
"If you have the trust and confidence of the President and then you can serve the country. So this is a chance for Commissioner Nick Faeldon to prove his critics wrong," he added.
Faeldon, a former Marine captain, resigned as Customs commissioner in August after he was implicated in a corruption scandal involving the entry of P6.4 billion in shabu into the country.
He was one of the officials accused by Sen. Panfilo Lacson of receiving bribes in exchange for the release of smuggled shipments.
© Philstar.com File photo
Faeldon has denied the allegation but refused to attend legislative hearings on smuggling, prompting senators to cite him for contempt and detain him at the Senate.
Duterte has described Faeldon as an "honest" man and has blamed corruption in the Customs bureau for the entry of smuggled goods.