BACOLOR, Pampanga – A convict serving a prison sentence for drug importation has named Cong. Paulo “Polong” Duterte, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, and Chinese businessman Michael Yang as facilitators of massive illegal drug importations during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Polong Duterte, currently a congressman representing the 1st district of Davao City, is a son of the former President. Carpio is his son-in-law, being the husband of then Davao mayor and now Vice President Sara Duterte. Yang is a known Duterte associate and a formally appointed economic advisor in his government.
The witness Jimmy S. Guban identified himself as the acting chief intelligence officer of the Bureau of Customs before his incarceration.
Guban testified before congressional committees called the Quadcomm here Friday last and confirmed his affidavit naming Davao City councilor Nilo “Small” Abellera, Jr. as the conduit for Duterte, Carpio and Yang who wanted the Customs intelligence section to turn a blind eye to their shipments that mostly contained “palaman,” slang for illegal drug shipments disguised as importations of agricultural products like sugar, rice and vegetables.
Guban narrated that in early 2018 he was introduced to Abellera by a certain Henry, a Chinese importer of various goods who is a known fixer at the bureau. Abellera told him that he is the business partner and trusted man of Yang, Duterte and Carpio and requested that he “not be so strict with their shipments.”
Upon questioning by Rep. Romeo Acop, Guban clarified that not being strict actually meant not looking into the shipments at all.
Guban further narrated that between the months of May and June 2018 Col. Eduardo Acierto of the Philippine National Police shared an intelligence report about a forthcoming shipment of illegal drugs consigned to Vecaba Trading owned by Vedasto Cabral Baraquel, Jr. and his live-in partner Maria Lagrimas A. Catipan. They are alleged dummies of Calapan-based importer Poney Chen.
Vecaba Trading was not an accredited importer but Poney Chen assured Guban that “wag ikaw matakot kasi sila Mans Carpio, Polong Duterte at Michael Yang ang may-ari ng shipment.”
On August 7, 2018, Customs intelligence agents nonetheless opened the shipment containing two magnetic lifters that caught the attention of the Senate after it was established that P6.4 billion worth of “shabu” were smuggled into the country through the Manila International Container Port using those lifters.
Guban was ordered detained in the Senate after the blue-ribbon committee cited him in contempt for purportedly failing to truthfully respond to the questions propounded by its chairman Richard Gordon.
While in detention in the Senate, media personality Paul Gutierrez visited Guban accompanied by an unidentified Blue Ribbon staff member. Guban said that Gutierrez is a close associate of former Department of Environment and Natural Resources undersecretary Benny Antiporda.
Gutierrez allegedly threatened Guban saying, “wag mo banggitin and mga pangalan nina Polong, Michael Yang at Mans. Alam namin kung saan nakatira pamilya mo. Alam din namin na nasa Makati ang anak mong lalaki.”
Fearing for his son and family, Guban admitted testifying falsely in the Senate and instead pointed to Col. Acierto as the importer of the seized shipment instead of Duterte, Carpio and Yang.
Guban himself was charged with illegal drug importation along with Acierto who has since fled the country for fear of liquidation. Guban said that he recanted this false testimony in the Senate by recounting the truth in an affidavit submitted to the trial court.
Guban was convicted of the importation charge, which he branded before the Quadcomm as a “failure of the criminal justice system.” The conviction is on appeal with the Court of Appeals.
Guban also testified that he had declined efforts from the leadership of the National Bureau of Investigation for him to link the illegal importation to staunch Duterte critic former senator Antonio Trillanes.
Cong. Johnny Pimentel said during the hearing that he believes Guban’s story because he knows councilor Small Abellera to be “very close to the personalities mentioned.”/PN
