LABOR groups picketed the Bureau of Customs office Monday to demand the resignation of Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, despite the Palace’s suspension of his much-criticized plan to conduct random inspections of balikbayan or gift boxes that overseas workers send home to their families.
“For [insinuating] that migrant workers are engaged in technical smuggling and for conducting random checks on their balikbayan boxes, Lina should be removed from his post,” said Leody de Guzman, president of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP).
Partido ng Lakas sa Masa (PLM) chairman Sonny Melencio added that Lina’s resignation was the only way to “cleanse” the bureau.
Melencio accused Lina of a conflict of interest and trying to “monopolize freight forwarding,” because he owned at least six companies that dealt directly with
Customs before he became commissioner. Melencio also expressed doubts that Lina fully divested himself of these holdings.
De Guzman denounced Lina as an “elitist ingrate” who disregarded the sacrifices of Filipino workers abroad, who keep the economy afloat with billions of dollars in yearly remittances.
The BMP also challenged the Aquino administration to uphold workers’ rights to a living wage and to security of tenure here at home, so they would not have to leave the country in search of decent jobs.
“As an immediate demand, we are calling on the… administration to remove Bert Lina from his post,” De Guzman said.
The Sanlakas coalition also joined Monday’s protest in which demonstrators carried placards calling for Lina to resign for oppressing overseas workers, whom the government has described as “the new heroes.”
In Congress, the leader of the independent minority bloc and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez reiterated his call to the Customs bureau to show compassion for the millions of overseas workers who send their love to their families through balikbayan boxes.
At the same time, Romualdez lauded efforts of Filipinos online for being vigilant on issues affecting overseas workers and ordinary Filipinos.
“Customs should not further inconvenience or burden our OFWs and become another source of corruption. We must do what we can to protect our country but not at the expense of our loved ones abroad and their families,” said Romualdez.
Lina and the bureau drew heavy flak for a plan to randomly open and inspect balikbayan boxes as a way of reducing smuggling.