VP’s husband, Polong linked to drug smuggling

MANILA, Philippines — A former intelligence officer of the Bureau of Customs yesterday linked Davao City Rep. Paolo “Polong” Duterte to the smuggling of illegal drugs, including P11 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu confiscated in 2018.

Also implicated by Jimmy Guban during the second joint hearing of the House of Representatives’ so-called quad committee were lawyer Manases Carpio, the husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, and Chinese businessman Michael Yang, who served as economic adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The quad committee is composed of the House panels on dangerous drugs, public order and safety, public accounts and human rights. Among other things, it is pursuing reports that funds from illegal activities of Philippine offshore gaming operators might have been used to reward law enforcers who executed drug suspects in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

Guban arrived at the hearing wearing a bulletproof vest and a prisoner’s orange t-shirt as he has been incarcerated for six years now after he was convicted for his role in the drug smuggling operations.

In his affidavit submitted to the committee, he recalled that in 2017, he was introduced by a Chinese businessman whom he knew only as “Henry” to Davao City Councilor Nilo Abellera Jr., who is also known as “Small.”

“In the said meeting, Small told me that he is the business partner and trusted man of Michael Yang, Polong Duterte, the son of then president Rodrigo Duterte, and Atty. Mans Carpio, the husband of then Davao City mayor Sara Duterte,” he said.

Guban claimed that Small told him he was tasked to facilitate the release of shipments.

He said in various incidents, he was requested by Small to relax the processing of the shipments because those were Yang’s, Polong’s and Mans’.

Citing intelligence reports, he said his team was able to seize magnetic lifters used to conceal billions worth of smuggled shabu at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

PDEA officials earlier estimated that the lifters at the MICP and a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez in Cavite – all were found empty – may have contained shabu valued at P11 billion.

Guban alleged that the former first family tried to exert their influence over the shipment.

Guban lamented he was just doing his job but he was the one being pinned over the illegal drugs he confiscated.

“There is a grand conspiracy to clean the names of the first family and Michael Yang’s and to include in the information the name of their political rival, and I did not agree. I said that person does not know anything,” he told the committee.

Guban also mentioned journalists Benny Antiporda and Paul Gutierrez, whom he said were working with the Dutertes.

He recounted a phone call from BOC official Lourdes Mangaoang, who inquired about the Vecaba Trading shipment to which the shabu in Pampanga was consigned.

According to Guban, Mangaoang told him, “What can we do about that shipment, pareng Benny Antiporda owns that.”

The shipment from Vecaba Trading was eventually intercepted, and two magnetic lifters containing shabu were discovered.

Antiporda became an undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources during the Duterte administration, while Gutierrez has been appointed by President Marcos as executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security.

He also recalled that when he was facing Senate probe, Gutierrez, accompanied by a Senate Blue Ribbon committee staff member, visited him and warned him against mentioning the names of Polong Duterte, Carpio and Yang in his testimony.

Guban told the joint committee that the Dutertes lobbied for the magnetic lifters that they apprehended containing shabu at the Manila Container Port.

“It was wrong to apprehend illegal drugs inside the Bureau of Customs. I was only following orders from the authorities,” he added.

Toward the end of the hearing, the quad committee ordered that invitations be sent to all individuals mentioned by Guban in his affidavit and testimony.

On the other hand, without categorically denying his involvement in illegal drugs, congressman Duterte yesterday denied knowing Guban.

Polong: I don’t know him

“I do not know Jimmy Guban and I am sure that he does not know me either. We did not have any transactions or connections so there is no reason to threaten him if he ever says my name,” he said in a statement.

He reminded the public that for a person to become a “star witness” he must be truthful in his words and must have credibility.

“That person is not Jimmy Guban because he has been cited in contempt by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee because he was telling lies,” he noted.

The lawmaker underscored that it is clear that Guban’s testimonies do not have basis right from the start, so he wonders why the quad committee took him as a “star witness.”

“I would also want to see his sworn statement so that my lawyer and I can study it,” he added.

Gutierrez: Guban a lliar

Meanwhile, Gutierrez called Guban an “inveterate liar” as he denied the allegations made against him by the former customs official.

“At the quad comm hearing of Congress early today, my name was repeatedly mentioned by Mr. Jimmy Guban, the former customs intelligence officer who has been convicted for a drug trafficking incident in 2018. His statements against me are all falsehoods and clearly fed to him by someone else,” Gutierrez said in a statement.

“As my conscience is clear, I am not bothered at all by all the lies Guban has been making nowadays,” he said.

Gutierrez said he does not personally know nor have met “any of the Dutertes,” Carpio or Yang.

“I also never had any personal or professional dealings with Mr. Guban while I was covering the customs beat, although the things I’ve been hearing about him at the waterfront are all unsavory,” he said.

Gutierrez said at the time Guban claimed he confronted him at the detention center of the Senate, he was not an assistant of Benny Antiporda but a reporter and columnist for People’s Tonight covering the customs and Senate beat.

“As the Senate and customs beats are my area of coverage, I need to be there to cover the drug smuggling probe and all hearings at the Senate,” he said.

“As a lowly reporter, I am not in any position to make any threats to him, and according to him, in front of a Senate Blue Ribbon committee staff. As a matter of rule, visits to any Senate detainee had to be approved by the chair and the result reported to him,” Gutierrez said.

“How can I threaten him on behalf of people that I don’t know and who also do not know me?” Gutierrez added. “Also, if indeed I did that, would this not be reported to the Senate Blue Ribbon committee leading to my being banned from further covering the Senate?”

Gutierrez, however, admitted visiting Guban at the Senate once only to check on his health.

“I also want to confirm from him if a former National Press Club officer is his ‘PR’ as this former officer is seen attending the Senate hearings although he no longer represents any newspaper. He did not answer me,” he added.

He also disputed Guban’s claim that Yang is a member of the National Press Club (NPC).

“We have never met Mr. Yang nor has Mr. Yang ever set foot at the NPC,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez questioned Guban’s motive for linking him to the issue.

“Time and again, Guban has been proven to be an inveterate liar. Our lawmakers should therefore be forewarned in believing anything he says. Truth must always fit with the evidence,” he said. –With Helen Flores