Mediocrity has no place here

Mediocrity has no place here

Exemplary public servants know who belongs to their flock.

That is why they do not promote Miriam’s mediocre husband despite her arm-twisting the BIR.

Narciso “Jun” Santiago Jr., the husband of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago who was a middling customs personnel in the late 1960s and early 1970s, assigned to insignificant jobs at the customs intelligence and investigation division (CIID).

Then-Customs Commissioner Ramon Farolan, did not promote Jun Santiago from his obscure post because Farolan can spot real talent when he sees one. Even Bobby Tañada, the former senator, who started out as the first customs commissioner after the fall of Marcos never recognized Jun Santiago as a talent

This is perhaps is what is at the root of the extreme opposition of BIR Commissioner Sixto Esquivias IV to turning over the Large Taxpayers Service to Santiago, who is now presidential adviser on revenue enhancement (PARE).

Esquivias fears that Santiago–in this particular context of a global economic meltdown–may just make a sorry mess of the LTS, which would depress, not enhance, the revenue collection of the BIR. Esquivias’ fears have real basis, if the track record of Santiago at the customs bureau were to be used as basis.

For sure, Esquivias did his background checking and apparently found nothing to assure himself that the LTS will be enhanced as a major BIR unit under Jun Santiago.

The Santiago couple seems to have an undue interest in a BIR unit that handles the largest corporate and individual taxpayers in the country.

This is why Senator Santiago is arm-twisting Esquivias to turn over a prized BIR unit like the LTS to her husband.

If Senator Santiago feels she scored points over Esquivias when she terrorized the BIR commissioner for his opposition to giving away the LTS to Jun Santiago, the public has a different interpretation of the events.

Senator Santiago was perceived as the caricature of a politician motivated by selfish and vested interest, lobbying for the grant of undeserved power and perks for her husband.

There are several powerful women in Philippine society who are always working to promote their average or mediocre husbands but no one can top the singular intensity of Miriam in this department.

If Finance Secretary Margarito Teves wants to preserve his image as a professional, he should support Esquivias and reject the power tripping of the Santiago couple.

Teves should tell the Santiago couple to rein in their ambition. The LTS is too crucial and important to national revenue collection effort to be left to somebody with the mediocrity of Jun Santiago whose only plus point in his resume is his being married to Brenda.