Missing pieces
He has faced a Senate inquiry and provided controversial testimony relating to corruption in the Bureau of Customs. Businessman Mark Taguba is at the heart of the investigation into the smuggling of P6.5 billion worth of shabu from China last year.
Now, for the second time, drugrelated charges against the Customs broker have been dropped by a Valenzuela regional trial court. Judge Arthur Melicor of the Valenzuela RTC Branch 284 described as “utterly devoid” of merit the charges against Taguba for the transportation and delivery of illegal drugs. Melicor also slammed prosecutors for “forum-shopping” after similar charges were also dismissed in Valenzuela because the charges were split into two cases, for importing and transporting the shabu.
Taguba is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig on orders of a Manila RTC judge where a separate case has been filed against him and his co-accused including businessman Richard Tan. The dismissal of the cases in Valenzuela, however, is raising concerns that the defendants might invoke double jeopardy and escape prosecution.
Taguba has provided testimony on alleged corruption in the Bureau of Customs but has denied involvement in drug deals. He could be convicted of offenses that would put him behind bars for a long time. Prosecutors must make sure that no one involved in one of the largest drug trafficking cases in the country can get away.
More effort is also needed to uncover the source of the shabu shipment. With improved ties between the Philippines and China, there could be a better chance of tracing the supplier and finding out how such a large amount of shabu managed to clear Chinese customs.
Key personalities in the smuggling in the Philippines are under investigation, but the country has yet to get the full picture. The Senate probe raised more questions and closed with many of them unanswered. Failure to unearth those missing pieces means that several of those involved will not be held accountable. And this means they will be able to continue their illegal activities.