MANILA, (PNA) — Malacanang expressed confidence on Monday that newly appointed Customs deputy Commissioner Agaton Teodoro Uvero would inhibit from a case now up for resolution at the BOC involving a former client.
Reports said Uvero, who now heads the Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group (AOCG) at the BOC, was former lawyer for Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc. in a case involving the alleged misclassification and undervaluation of sugar premixes and high fructose corn syrup imported by the multinational company.
The P1 billion smuggling case, now up for resolution by the AOCG, was reportedly initiated by the Sugar Alliance of the Philippines.
“We have taken all that into consideration. Atty. Uvero’s record will bear out that he has been the consultant of choice of aid agencies like USAID because of his competence. Good to point out that entities like USAID and Coke have a strict vetting process and they will not hire anyone who is dishonest,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a statement.
“More important than the professional connection is the point that he should abstain from any case involving his former connections, which we believe he will,” she added.
Uvero was recently appointed as one of the deputy commissioners at the BOC along with Jessie Dellosa for enforcement and intelligence Group; Primo Aguas for the management information system and technology group; Myrna Chua, for the internal administration group; and Ma. Edita Tan, for revenue collection monitoring group.