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By Anthony Bayarong, Correspondent
Presidential Anti Smuggling Group (PASG) and
Task Force Subic head Antonio Villar Jr. said he would be attending
the next hearing of the House Committee on Good Government set on
April.
In a telephone interview, Villar told The Manila
Times that he would be attending the next congressional hearings but
clarified that it was not the because of Zambales Rep. Milagros
Magsaysay invited him. Villar said it was Camiguin Rep. Pedro
Romualdo, the committee chair, who invited him.
“I don’t know why they (some congressmen)
are so angry with me. What I know is smugglers are the ones mad at
me,” Villar said.
The PASG is under fire from some congressmen
because it allegedly has functions duplicating the Bureau of
Customs.
“Our work is very much different from Customs.
We do not execute documents, and most of all, we don’t allow
smugglers to smuggle goods,” Villar said in Filipino.
Villar also questioned as to why congressmen
should be angry with him since it was not him, but President Gloria
Arroyo, who created the anti-smuggling task force.
The PASG head wanted to resign last month, but
was reportedly stopped by the President. It was during the height of
Villar’s heated exchanges in the media with Magsaysay and Albay
Rep. Al Francis Bichara that he revealed his intentions to resign.
“The President questioned why I was
resigning,” Villar said, adding that Mrs. Arroyo told him he was
doing a good job.
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