MANILA, Philippines - Bureau of Customs (BOC) clerk Paulino Elevado owns the Porsche he was seen driving along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), sources said yesterday.
Elevado, along with his businessman-friend Roberto Bato, were arrested after they were caught on closed-circuit television camera chasing and firing upon two students from the SLEX to a hotel near Villamor Air Base in Pasay City. Police seized a .40 caliber firearm from the two men.
The students accused Elevado and Bato of beating them, and a police report stated that the students’ car bore bullet holes. The two men face charges of physical injuries and attempted murder.
A check on the Porsche’s plate number, which a reliable source revealed to be a “personalized” one, yielded the name of Elevado, who reportedly bought the sports car as a brand new model, although it is now a few years old.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda defended yesterday the BOC’s decision to keep Elevado on the rolls even as he denied that Elevado’s backers include a brother-in-law of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.
“We have to provide him due process. And, until such time, we cannot (impose sanctions)... until the results of the administrative investigation is finished, then he will be provided due process,” Lacierda said.
A separate source said the family of Elevado’s victims is a friend of BOC Commissioner Rufino Biazon.
Lacierda said he asked Ochoa “and he categorically denied that. There’s no such influence peddling being done by the brother-in-law. So that’s a fabrication.” The spokesman would not say, however, if Ochoa plans to press charges against Elevado for dropping his name.
PNP revokes Elevado’s gun permit
The Philippine National Police’s Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO) has revoked the gun license and the permit to carry firearms outside of residence issued to Elevado and Bato.
Police records list Elevado as an owner of a .40 caliber Taurus pistol while Bato is licensed to possess a .45 caliber SAM pistol.
“Elevado’s .40 caliber pistol is in the custody of Pasay City police investigators, while Bato is being given a reasonable time to surrender his .45 caliber handgun that is now deemed a loose firearm upon cancellation of his gun license,” PNP-FEO chief Senior Superintendent Raul Petrasanta said.
PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said crime scene investigators recovered .45 caliber cartridge cases from the scene of the chase. He said the guns owned by the two men will be subjected to ballistics examination and cross-matching to check if these guns have been involved in past shootings.
Selective narration
Elevado surfaced Tuesday at Biazon’s office, following warnings that he will be declared absent without leave if he failed to report for work and explain his side of the incident.
Biazon said Elevado last reported for work on Jan. 25 and had been absent since. He said that during his talk with Elevado, the clerk “selectively gave his side of the story.” He said Elevado invoked his right to remain silent “about certain matters” on the advice of his lawyer.
“I will not spare Mr. Elevado from the rightful and legal penalty that he deserves. He has undermined my efforts to reform the Bureau of Customs and has tarnished the name of each and every employee and official of the agency,” Biazon said in a statement.
He said that Elevado will be temporarily assigned to the BOC’s Human Resource Department to do messengerial and clerical work while under investigation.
Elevado has been working at the BOC for about 10 years. Reports said that in his 2004 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Elevado declared he bought a 1995 Volvo.
In his 2011 SALN, Elevado said his net worth was P1.1 million and declared a buy-and-sell car business.