The President directed Morales to pursue charges against four customs employees before the Department of Justice (DoJ) to prevent the pile up of cases at the Office of the Ombudsman.

Recommended for dismissal were Atty. Eden Dandal, Gregorio Magat, Melchor Rabo, and Jennifer Namuag, who were earlier slapped one year suspensions without pay.

But the President ordered a review of the penalties imposed on the customs officers, saying the decision of the legal team was not appropriate for their offense.

The employees were allegedly involved in the anomalous transactions of Rubills International, a firm charged by the bureau thrice for the smuggling of wheat, sugar, and ginger.

The bureau’s appellate division acting chief, Atty. Rhea Gregorio, said the employees were guilty of gross neglect of duties, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The legal team revised its earlier recommendation of dismissal, the highest sanction that can be imposed on customs employees and officials.

Administrative charges were also lodged against four other customs employees -- Principal Appraiser Visitacion Deforontorum, Examiner Margie Santiago, and customs guards Gregorio Santos and Eduardo Hebron, for their alleged involvement in the diversion of steel coils and the release of unmarked flour from bureau custody.

The President congratulated Teves and Morales for the agency’s positive performance for April, but immediately buckled down to work as she followed up on cases filed by the bureau against smugglers of agricultural products.

The bureau yesterday filed new charges against 11 persons for alleged smuggling of regulated commodities such as ginger, and used right hand motor vehicles, with a combined estimated worth of P3.2 million.