‘Davao Mafia’ linked to BOC, PDEA murders

MANILA, Philippines — Several Customs and anti-drug agents were allegedly liquidated by the “Davao Mafia” of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his associates as they moved to consolidate and tighten their control of the drug trade in the country.

This was according to a former Bureau of Customs (BOC) intelligence agent now serving time for drug smuggling, in his testimony at the resumption yesterday of the hearing on extrajudicial killings and the drug war by the quad committee of the House of Representatives.

In his testimony, former BOC intelligence agent Jimmy Guban also revealed an alleged political plot called “God Save the Queen,” but sought permission from the panel to allow him not to discuss details at the moment.

“We’re thankful to God that we’re still alive. Former PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) deputy director general Ismael Fajardo died. Captain Lito Perote, agent Ernan Abario who is my colleague in Customs is also dead. Two of my men also turned up dead,” Guban told House members.

“Sa kanya ilan ang namatay dahil po diyan sa Davao mafia and their purpose is to save the queen in order to become the next president,” he said.

The former Customs investigator said he is glad that his friend former police colonel Eduardo Acierto is still alive, as he accused Duterte – both as mayor and president – of perpetrating a killing spree, targeting drug offenders and rivals in the trade.

“An employee of one of the congressmen here has been going after my son,” Guban revealed, as he begged for more time before revealing more details. “I cannot at this point. Remember, these are hired killers and implementors of the Davao Group that is part of the Davao Mafia,” he said.

Upon questioning of Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun, he asked for more time to name names. 

“Sorry, your honor maybe next time,” Guban, now an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, responded to Khonghun’s query if he was referring to the Dutertes, including Vice President Sara Duterte, when he revealed the existence of a “God Save the Queen” plot.

The lawmaker, belonging to the so-called Young Guns, had been egging on the witness to elaborate on his spur of the moment remarks, after he was seen breaking into tears upon seeing Acierto via zoom. Acierto has been in hiding for more than six years.

“My apologies if I cannot give it (testimony) today. I still have to fix my affidavit on that. Perhaps if I have prepared my matrix. It is because the security of my family is at stake here,” Guban said in a mix of English and Filipino, adding his children are being monitored by unknown persons.

Threats in prison

According to Guban, he was also able to complete the whole picture of the drug operations of the previous administration even if he has been in prison for years, and even after being threatened allegedly by former journalist Paul Gutierrez.

Gutierrez, who attended the hearing yesterday, repeatedly denied the allegations saying he visited Guban only to interview him for a news story.

But when Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores asked if he had visited other inmates, Gutierrez replied in the negative. Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong for his part, found amusing Gutierrez’s claim that he talked with Guban only for three minutes. Adiong said “three minutes” is too short for an exclusive interview.

Guban related further that about three to five BOC officials and employees had already been gunned down, while about two or three were lucky to make it alive. He said only he and Acierto remain alive.

Guban previously testified that Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of the Vice President; and Chinese businessman and presidential adviser Michael Yang were involved in the shipment of massive magnetic lifters used to clandestinely transport hundreds of kilograms of shabu to the country in 2018.

Meanwhile, Acierto accused Duterte of putting up a P50-million bounty on his head after he linked Yang to drug smuggling.

“This is due to my report discovering their connection with Michael Yang and Allan Lim or Lin Weixiong,” he told the quad committee, presided over by Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

No coercion

Also at the resumption yesterday of the quad comm hearing, retired police colonel Royina Garma refuted the claim of another police official that he had been coerced by lawmakers into backing her testimony that there was a rewards system for drug war kills.

Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas presented before the quad comm a letter from Garma’s lawyers Emerito Quilang and Rotciv Cumigad belying the allegation of police Col. Hector Grijaldo that Representatives Benny Abante and Dan Fernandez forced him to sign an affidavit of Garma on the drug war killings and rewards system. The two lawmakers had already vehemently denied Grijaldo’s allegations.

Luistro called Grijaldo’s claim – raised during a recent Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearing on the same issue – a “perjured statement” and “baseless allegations.”

“At no point did any of the congressmen attempt to pressure Grijaldo into conforming to a pre-determined narrative,” Quilang and Cumigad stated in a joint statement.

“At no point did we see or hear any actions or statements that could be interpreted as pressuring Grijaldo to conform to a specific narrative,” they added.

“Throughout the meeting, we can affirm that we did not witness any form of coercion or undue influence directed toward Grijaldo,” the lawyers said, noting that the “discussions were focused on ensuring clarity and understanding of Garma’s affidavit.” The two-page communique bore the letterhead “Cumigad Law Offices.” 

“Our intention in providing this statement is to clarify the nature of the interactions that occurred and to provide an unbiased and factual account of the events,” they stressed. 

Also yesterday, Barbers presented data from the PDEA and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) showing fewer deaths but bigger drug haul in the Marcos administration than in the previous Duterte regime.

Barbers said Marcos’ “bloodless” anti-drug campaign resulted in the seizure of P49.82 billion worth of illegal drugs and in 800 drug-related deaths from 2022 to 2024.

On the hand, Barbers said that the same data showed that Duterte’s “bloody drug war” had lesser recorded confiscated illegal drugs amounting to a total of P25.19 billion and higher deaths recorded at 20,000 drug personalities from 2016 to 2018.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday expressed support for the Department of Justice’s initiative to form a task force to address extrajudicial killings and unresolved cases.

PNP public information office chief Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo emphasized the agency’s commitment to cooperate closely with the DOJ and the NBI in investigating such cases, including those highlighted at the quad comm hearing.

“The PNP has always been supportive of the DOJ’s efforts to investigate,” Fajardo said at a news briefing at Camp Crame.

She added that while they are conducting their own investigations, the PNP will coordinate closely with other concerned agencies on these cases.

“The PNP, NBI, and DOJ will work together on these sensitive cases to ensure a thorough and credible investigation,” Fajardo said.

One case cited by Fajardo involves the death of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board secretary Wesley Barayuga. She said the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is finalizing documentation on the case in preparation for the filing of murder charges against suspects.

“We expect that, in the coming days, the PNP and DOJ will jointly file charges against those responsible for Wesley Barayuga’s death,” Fajardo said.

She clarified that the initiative to review cold cases, as ordered by PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, extends beyond EJK cases to include all unresolved murder and homicide cases from both the previous and current administrations.

Fajardo also addressed allegations of police misconduct, specifically related to tampering with evidence.

“Let’s make it clear: it is not, and will never be, the norm for PNP personnel to steal or tamper with evidence,” - Fajardo stressed. Mark Ernest Villeza, Jose Rodel Clapano