Ruiz opts to be referred to as a ‘public servant’ rather than as BoC Commissioner as gleaned from his calling card
CUSTOMS Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz (center) gamely answers questions from Daily Tribune Editor-in-Chief Gigie Arcilla and Executive Editor Chito Lozada during his guesting on Straight Talk yesterday. | Photograph by Jhay R. Diego for the Daily Tribune
Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz yesterday issued a stern warning to notorious smugglers to stop their illegal activities that sabotage the country's economy.
"I relay this message to all the smugglers. Stop it and pay the lawful revenues to the government," Ruiz said in an interview on Daily Tribune's online show 'Straight Talk.'
In a strongly worded statement, Ruiz said there is no way for smugglers to hide because the Bureau of Customs can find them wherever they go. "Mahuhuli pa rin namin kayo (We can catch you). We are very good at doing that. Masasayang lang pera n'yo (You are wasting your money)," he said.
He also appealed to Filipinos to give the BoC a chance to serve them better by supporting the programs of the agency that has been touted to be among the three most corrupt government institutions together, with the Department of Public Works and Highways and Bureau of Internal Revenue.
"Huwag n'yo po kaming awayin, huwag n'yo po kaming iba-bash (Don't fight us, don't bash us) because everything we do right now is for your advantage," he said.
He told smugglers: "Import legally because the funds you pay to the BoC will go to the government and it will redound in a better service for all Filipinos."
Ruiz said the bureau has conducted 635 operations resulting in the seizure of P23.213 billion worth of goods from January to 23 November 2022.
The value of seized agricultural products, he said, reached P1.098 billion during the same period while P11.943 billion worth of illegal drugs were confiscated and 29 suspected drug personalities were arrested.
Owing to his more than 13 years as director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency regions 4A, 6, 7, 12, and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Ruiz said the BoC continues to strengthen its border control, protection, and capability in collaboration with the country's dangerous drugs buster.
"That I think will lead to a more stable business climate and stable country," he added.
Law enforcement
He admitted that his background in government has always been in law enforcement
"So that is the thing that I am doing right now. I implement measures that improve the capability of the BoC against contrabands," he said. "I am not a lawyer. I am not an accountant. My expertise is in law enforcement. That's my God-given gift. I am good at finding people."
He added that it's a different working environment at PDEA because it is focused on anti-drug operations while the BoC is more focused on protecting the border.
"I brought my PDEA experience to the BoC. We have made our operations at the BoC more transparent by having law enforcement officers including examiners wear body cameras," said Ruiz, adding that failure to wear them is a ground for an administrative case.
The policy, he said, protects the BoC and the stubborn will be seen on camera.
Ruiz, former director of the BoC Enforcement and Security Service before he took the helm of the BoC in July 2022, said revenue collections from January to 24 November 2022 reached P776.304 billion, 18.6 percent or P122.002 billion higher than the target.
The P776.304 billion, he said, is even higher by 34.9 percent or P200.701 billion than the collection in the same period last year.
"So can you imagine how many projects the government can do with the surplus that the BoC has collected. The P120 billion plus redound to more projects for the government like more classrooms," he added.
Public servant
Ruiz opts to be referred to as a "public servant" rather than "Commissioner" as gleaned from his office identification card. "I get satisfaction in serving the community," was his reply to a telephone query.
Amid several favors requested from him, he said discernment is important. "We could not deny, there will really be some persons that will approach me, but we have to also analyze the request. If the request is valid and it is my action then all means I'll act on it decisively.
If the favor jeopardizes the integrity of his office, he said he doesn't care if he gets hated. "There are several favors, but they know me. I keep an open-door policy and entertain concerns. But when it comes to putting my foot down. I always tell BoC employees that I may be friendly, but I am firm. I may be strict, but I am fair," Ruiz said.
With Maria Romero
