By ARGYLL GEDUCOS
President Duterte has named former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon as new deputy administrator at the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
In the appointment paper Duterte signed last Dec. 22, Faeldon will replace Rodolfo Demosthenes Santillan.
Faeldon resigned after being linked in the corruption in the BOC which rooted from the P6.4-billion illegal drug shipment from China which slipped past the Bureau last May, 2017.
Duterte earlier reiterated his trust in Faeldon upon accepting the latter’s resignation.
“From the tone of his resignation, he’s very disappointed but I really believe he is an honest man. The government would need Faeldon,” Duterte had said.
Duterte replaced Faeldon with former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Isidro Lapeña III.
Last November, the Department of Justice (DOJ) cleared Faeldon of drug charges over the P6.4-billion illegal drug shipment, citing PDEA’s failure to state with clarity the acts or omission supposedly committed by Faeldon that would constitute violation of the offense charged.
“The evidence adduced by the PDEA in support of the charges were insufficient to establish probable case,” the DoJ resolution read.
Faeldon’s lawyer Jose Diño had said that the former’s exoneration is the “best vindication” and that it has restored the former Customs Commissioner’s faith in the justice system.
The Senate blue ribbon committee, after conducting an inquiry to the allegations against Faeldon, had recommended the filing of criminal charges against the former Customs chief.
Despite the dismissal of the case, Diño said that Faeldon would not ask the Senate to release him from detention. Faeldon was in detention for repeatedly refusing to appear before the panel’s hearing.
