Bernie Anabo Jr.
In the rough-and-tumble world of customs enforcement, one truth never changes: when you hit powerful syndicates, they hit back harder.
That is why the recent noise surrounding CIIS Director Thomas M. Narcise has raised eyebrows across the Bureau of Customs and beyond. Smuggling allegations were thrown into the air, names were dragged into headlines, and whispers became weaponized. But amid all the drama, one question remains unanswered:
Where is the evidence?
(Left to right: CIIS Director Thomas Narcise, Dep. Comm. For IG Gen. Licup, & ESS Dir. Gen. Noel Estanislao)
Thomas Narcise is no stranger to frontline operations. As head of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), he carried one of the toughest jobs in government—going after smugglers, counterfeiters, and organized illicit trade groups that bleed billions from the economy.
Those who know the system understand this clearly: when enforcement becomes effective, retaliation begins.
Sources inside customs circles say Narcise built a reputation as a hard operator—someone willing to inspect warehouses, disrupt illegal shipments, and challenge entrenched interests. That kind of work earns enemies fast.
So when allegations suddenly surfaced, many insiders were not shocked by the accusations—they were shocked by the timing.
Was this a smear campaign?
Was this payback from threatened syndicates?
Was this an attempt to destroy a name before facts could surface?
These are fair questions.
Let’s be clear: allegations are not convictions. Anonymous letters are not court rulings. Rumors are not proof.
In any democracy governed by law, every official deserves fairness, due process, and an evidence-based investigation—not trial by gossip.
Critics may shout. Political opportunists may grandstand. But until verified facts are presented, Thomas M. Narcise remains a man accused—not a man proven guilty.
(Left to right: CAIDTF Head Atty. Gilbert Ordona, Special
Deputy Collector Dr. Siegfred “Yeye,” Manaois,
and CIIS Director Thomas Narcise)
And in a system where honest enforcers are often targeted, that distinction matters.
If there is evidence, let it be shown. If there is none, then the public deserves to know who benefits from the demolition job.
Because sometimes the loudest accusations come not from truth-tellers—
—but from those terrified of the man they could not control.
