Customs broker names Davao City councilor as part of ‘Davao Group’ in Senate hearing
A customs broker who allegedly played a key role in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China that got through the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said onn Tuesday that Davao City Councilor Nilo Abellera Jr. is one of the members of the so-called “Davao Group” with whom he has been dealing.
Mark Taguba, the purported “middleman” in the controversial shipments, said Abellera is the “Small” whom he earlier identified as part of the group involved in some of the shipments coming out of Customs.
During the Senate hearing last Aug. 17, Taguba told the Senate committee that the members of the group with whom he had transactions were “Small,” “Tita Nani,” and “Jack.”
Taguba is one of the nine individuals charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in relation to the 604 kilograms of shabu that had passed through the “green lane” at customs and were later seized in a warehouse in Valenzuela City.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV had claimed “Small” was Abellera who was a “close friend” of Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte. The senator also showed during the committee hearing, several photos of “Small” and the vice mayor.
But Sen. Richard Gordon said he believes that Paolo Duterte’s link to smuggling is still far-fetched despite statements and photos cropping up against the presidential son.
Gordon, who leads the Senate inquiry on the R6.4-billion drug shipment apprehended last May, said he is not convinced on the involvement of the Duterte son in the illegal shipment of goods.
At the Senate hearing Tuesday, Taguba said he met Abellera in Davao City last January to give him a R5-million “enrollment fee” to allow his shipments to pass through the BOC “without being alerted.”
He said he was asked to pay R10,000 per container – or about R1 million a week since he receives about 100 containers per week.
Taguba showed the committee a screenshot of “Tita Nani’s” text message to him on Jan. 11 last year, detailing how he was to make final arrangements with “Jack” who was “the handler of Paolo.”
In the text message, Taguba said he was told to advance R1 million so that “Jack” could fly down to Davao to arrange his meeting with a certain “Polong” as soon as possible.
Taguba confirmed the exchange of money took place in a restaurant in Davao City. He said he first dealt with a certain “Jojo Bacud” who claimed to be working with the BOC’s Special Studies and Project Development Committee (SSPDC). Taguba said his father Roel was the one who introduced Bacud to him. Deputy Commissioner Gerardo Gambala said the SSPDC acts as an anti-smuggling task force and works directly under the Office of the Commissioner.
Gordon said Bacud and Taguba’s father were both former councilors in Cagayan de Oro City.
Former Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Neil Anthony Estrella told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that Bacud introduced himself as a Customs officer. Estrella was one of the BOC officials who resigned after the controversy broke out.
Taguba said he used to pay Bacud R5,000 per container. After having problems with Bacud, Taguba said he was introduced to a certain “Tita Nani,” said to be as a “strong force” in Davao.
The panel invited Nanie Koh and Lorna Rosario who were thought to be behind the alias “Tita Nani” to the hearing, but Taguba said neither of the two was the “Tita Nani” he transacted with.
He said he would remit R1 million every Friday to “Jack” who, flies weekly from Manila to Davao City.
Taguba said he receives alerts after three months, prompting him to suspect that the R1 million he as giving was not being remitted properly.
“I asked Tita Nani again, since she is the first person I knew in the group. I told her I was alerted but Jack is not helping me,” Taguba said responding to Trillanes’ questioning.
MIAA official named
Taguba said “Tita Nani” then referred him to a certain “Noel” and “Big Brother” whom he knew as a certain “General Capuyan.” According to the broker, this is another group he dealt with.
“They had instructions through email and there they listed the tariff codes that would be used, because they said no human intervention is allowed anymore,” he said.
According to Trillanes, the “General Capuyan” Taguba was referring to was Col. Allen Capuyan who graduated from the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983.
Capuyan is currently the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Assistant General Manager for Security and Emergency Services (AGMSES).
Taguba named Colonel Capuyan during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on R6.4 billion worth of shabu that went out of the Port of Manila last month.
Taguba said he personally met Capuyan, also known as “big brother,” as part of a “Davao group” who made transactions who in return gave R10,000 per container and about 100 containers arrived for the past weeks.
Capuyan could not be reached for comment.
Duterte vows arrests
President Duterte pledged to throw into jail the people involved in the smuggling of over R6 billion worth of illegal drugs into the country. The President said he would dismiss and prosecute the concerned customs personnel and their cohorts behind a drug shipment that slipped past the bureau, once the investigation is complete. “In due time, I will ask for the neck of those involved,” Duterte said during a media interview in Malacañang Monday night. “Remember it is a non-bail (offense),” he said.
“Lahat iyan, kasi conspiracy iyan (Everyone because that’s conspiracy),” he added. (With reports from Ariel Fernandez and Genalyn D. Kabiling)