Sara: Paolo, Mans just waiting for Senate invite
DAVAO CITY – All they need is an official invitation.
President Duterte’s daughter Sara said yesterday her brother Paolo and husband Manases Carpio are just waiting for an invitation before they would agree to attend an investigation by a Senate panel on alleged irregularities in the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Sara, the mayor of this city, said her lawyer husband and Paolo, the vice mayor, were just waiting to be invited by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee to shed light on allegations that they belong to a so-called Davao group that facilitates the release of contraband in the BOC.
Both Paolo and Manases have denied involvement in smuggling activities.
Yesterday, the President reiterated that should there be any truth to the allegations against Paolo, he would not hesitate to step down. He had earlier said that his promise to quit did not cover his in-law Carpio.
“Just give me the truth and not the trash that (Sen. Antonio) Trillanes has been throwing my
way even during the campaign for last year’s elections,” the President said.
Trillanes brought up at the recent Senate hearing on smuggling the alleged involvement of the Davao vice mayor in BOC irregularities.
However, broker and whistle-blower Mark Taguba yesterday cleared both Paolo and Manases of any involvement in smuggling.
The issue of corruption at the BOC came to light in the wake of the discovery of P6.4 billion worth of shabu in a Valenzuela warehouse. The contraband was found to have entered the country through the BOC’s green or express lane in May.
Manases had admitted visiting the BOC in the past in his capacity as lawyer for clients supposedly doing due diligence for their cases. His wife Sara is also a lawyer.
The President said Manases was the lawyer of the controversial Mighty Corp., earlier fined P25 billion for using fake tax stamps for their cigarette products.