Press Release
October 6, 2017

Excerpt from Senator Franklin Drilon's interpellation on the budget of the Bureau of Customs

Drilon: We make of record that position of the minority leader. We will oppose the approval of the budget of the Bureau of Customs unless this administrative order is amended, which amendment has been pending for I don't know how long, in order that we can immediately address the issues if these contraband drugs passing through our customs. As Senator Gordon is saying, this is one of the recommendations. But you know, we recommend and we know what the process is. It takes months before this can be acted upon. Here, I have no qualms in saying that I have not opposed the approval of any budget here in my 19 years. But this time I will put my foot down. Of course I am in the minority and if the majority who will approve, that's the call that you have to make. But insofar as we are concerned, I am concerned, I will oppose the approval of the budget of the bureau of customs unless the administrative order is amendment and this amendment is already in the Office of the President. I cannot understand the delay. If there was no delay, we may not have been confronted with this smuggling of 604 kilos of shabu because it could have been caught at its source. We are taking a strong position here that we are opposing the budget unless the amendment is issue, because the customs must have realized the value of amending this administrative order.

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