Senate Blue Ribbon Committee places Faeldon under contempt

September 7, 2017

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee placed resigned Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon under contempt on Thursday after repeated absences in the hearing of the P6.4 billion worth of shabu from China smuggled into the country.

Senator Richard Gordon, committee chairman, said "After consulting with everybody here ...the chair orders Captain Faeldon in contempt and must report here the next hearing on Monday".

Gordon said Faeldon, a former Navy captain, will be arrested and may be brought to the custody if he will not appear on Monday.

Faeldon did not attend the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday regarding the smuggled shabu which passed through customs instead he sent a letter.

"I have the highest respect for the Senate as an institution that is why I attended the hearing even with just an invitation hoping that my side will also be heard however after the Senate hearing I was not given a chance to explain my side ", he said.

Faeldon last attended the Senate hearing on August 15 where he became emotional after Senator Antonio Trillanes asked him if there was corruption in the Bureau of Customs. Faeldon admitted there was corruption inside the customs which he cannot control.

Faeldon said he is not defying the Senate but this is his way of "protesting".

"I continue to have the highest respect to the Senate as an institution but I no longer have faith in the partiality of its members", he said.

Gordon said he can see negligence on the part of Faeldon but he does not see at the moment any corruption which involved the former customs commissioner. Alanna Ambi/DMS