MANILA - Customs collectors who have relinquished their posts will not be replaced by people from outside the agency, according to Customs chief Ruffy Biazon. Speaking to ANC, Biazon said 45 out of 54 Customs collectors have relinquished their posts as of Monday night after he ordered district and sub-port collectors to step down. Biazon said there is a possibility that some of them may be placed on "floating status." He said those who did not submit their resignation letters will not be "thrown out" but would be placed on "special assignments." "Unfortunately, we will have to get people from within. There is no vacant position right now. They would have to give up their items they hold as career officers if we want to hire new ones or the budget department would give us additional slots," he said. "We are also considering putting some on floating status if needed. Of course I also have to deal with manpower shortage so if that is an option, we can resort to that. If there's room for us to put them on floating status...otherwise, they'll get less important assgnments," he added. Meanwhile, the Customs chief defended Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo' Ochoa and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, saying he never received any calls from them asking for favors. Biazon also called on their accuser to prove the allegations. "They never, in my 20 months, used their position to intervene for anyone in the bureau. As far as I'm concerned, wala naman akong tawag na tinanggap sa kanila. They did not call me for anything even for a minor thing lalo na for the brother of the Speaker. I think it's unfair," he said.