It's easy to call government officials or employees corrupt, but before you point an accusing finger, have you asked yourself if you are part of the system corrupting them?
That's the question every Filipino should ask, said Commissioner Rozzano Rufino "Ruffy" Biazon of the Bureau of Customs, an agency many easily tag as "corrupt."
"Kinokotongan ako (I am getting extorted)" is almost every Filipino's complaint when stopped by customs officials at airports for inspections, Biazon told Yahoo! Southeast Asia in an interview.
But it may not always be a case of corruption, he said, noting that these state agents could actually be just doing their jobs.
"Agents in airports have collection targets because we are revenue-driven," Biazon said.
Customs in the Philippines is primarily a revenue collection agency while also mandated to curb smuggling and facilitate trade.
"That's why they are keen," Biazon added.
The Customs chief thus allayed fears of declaring goods ordinary Filipino passengers are bringing into the country.
"Just make sure that they ask for a breakdown and receipt for what they pay for," Biazon said.
He admitted, however, that the perception of corruption is not without basis, as he cited a mindset developed from Filipinos' "past experience" with Customs officials.
This is a mindset he is trying to change, Biazon said, as he urged Pinoys to "be confident that there is an effort to clean up."
The Customs chief reminded Pinoys, however, that corruption is a two-way street: That there can be no corrupt public officials without a public that allows corruption.
"The certainty of punishment" is an important factor in reducing corruption, Biazon said.
"If our people know that there is a consequence to any wrongdoing, illicit acts lose their appeal," he added.
But Biazon lamented how Filipinos fear or find it inconvenient to lodge formal complaints against officials or employees they accuse of being corrupt.
"They're part of it. For me, those who would not file a complaint lose their right to complain," Biazon said.
"They should not call one government agency corrupt if they contribute to the corruption," he said further.
