BOC Deputy Commissioner Resigns Citing ‘Security Issues’ — But What’s Really Behind the Exit?

A senior official of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has quietly stepped down, raising questions over what exactly prompted his sudden departure.

Internal Administration Group Deputy Commissioner Michael Fermin is no longer connected with the BOC after tendering his resignation last week, according to officials who confirmed the development on Tuesday.

Office of the Commissioner Deputy Chief of Staff Chris Noel Bendijo said Fermin resigned due to “personal security issues,” but declined to provide further details.

“There are personal security issues I cannot discuss at the moment. That was the deciding factor for DepCom Mike to resign,” Bendijo said.

BOC Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla also confirmed the resignation, describing the reasons as “personal.”

The lack of clarity, however, has fueled speculation.

What kind of “security issue” forces a top Customs official out of office?

Was it a threat? A sensitive investigation? Or something more troubling?

Fermin is no stranger to public service or controversy. He previously served as an elected official of Bulacan and once sat as a board member of the Poro Point Management Corporation, a role that placed him close to major government-linked commercial interests.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appointed Fermin as deputy commissioner in April last year, making his abrupt exit less than a year into the post all the more conspicuous.

No replacement has been named as of writing.

Whether this was a case of genuine security concern, mounting pressure from within, or an attempt to preempt deeper scrutiny remains unclear. For now, the resignation answers one question but opens several more.