Newly appointed Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla (blue barong) is seen with Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena presenting misdeclared beauty products busted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in February. At the time, Maronilla was district collector at the Manila airport. ABS-CBN News/Screengrab



MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has promoted Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) district collector Vincent Philip Maronilla, one of the individuals accused of bribery at the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Maronilla was appointed Assistant Commissioner at the BOC, replacing Ariel Nepomuceno, appointment papers the Palace released on Wednesday showed.

The official was NAIA district collector from December 2017.

Customs fixer Mark Taguba, who was linked to smuggling P6.4-billion worth of illegal drugs from China last year, had claimed that Maronilla was among officials who received “tara” or grease money at the bureau.

The official was collector at the Manila International Container Port District when the controversy broke in August.

Maronilla denied the allegation.

"If there is someone presenting himself to be connected with [the] office of [the] collector, as what Mr. Taguba said, I welcome the information and I will investigate it," Maronilla said in a congressional hearing in August 2017.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson also named Maronilla as among those who allegedly received bribes at the bureau.

Duterte previously gave new assignments to two individuals linked to corruption at the BOC despite allegations against them.

These are Milo Maestrecampo and Gerardo Gambala, who were appointed to the Department of Transportation. -- report from Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News