Malacañang on Friday cleared former Customs chief Isidro Lapeña of alleged involvement in a cover-up of the smuggling of the P6.8-billion worth of “shabu” at the port of Manila.

“We maintain that drug syndicates, in cahoots with the bureau’s corrupt officials and employees, are behind the ongoing vilification campaign against Mr. Isidro Lapeña,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

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President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday announced that he was removing Lapeña from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and appointed him as Director-General of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

READ: Lapeña out of Customs

The BOC has been rocked with scandal after the contraband – about P6.8 billion worth of shabu allegedly contained in four magnetic lifters – was found in Cavite.

Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, deputy collector for passenger service at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, had earlier accused Lapeña of participating in a cover-up of the smuggling.

But Panelo defended the former Customs commissioner from the allegations hurled against him.

He said: “It is common knowledge that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is a corrupt-infested bureau and this cannot be denied even by past administrations.”

“Notwithstanding the nefarious practices which besiege the bureau, Mr. Lapeña managed it untainted and instituted several reform initiatives resulting in a substantial increase in its revenue collection that even surpassed its given targets,” he said.

Panelo also defended the appointment of Lapeña to Tesda after some senators questioned his transfer.

READ: Senators question Lapeña transfer to Tesda

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“Presidential appointments, as we all know, fall under the prerogative of the appointing authority, who happens to be the President,” he said.

He maintained that President Duterte “continues to have the complete trust and confidence on the competence and integrity” Lapeña.

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