Ex-PASG officer recants extort raps vs BOC exec

MANILA, Philippines - A former liaison officer of the defunct Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) retracted yesterday extortion charges he filed against a Bureau of Customs official and two BOC employees.

Lamberto Lopez, in a two-page affidavit of recantation filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, said a certain Geni Agco made him file the complaint against BOC deputy director Jessie Dellosa and intelligence officers Jarvis Cinches and Jovily Cabading last week in exchange for money and a job. He is represented by lawyer Emmanuel Solis III.

In the extortion charge he filed on March 17, Lopez said he was made to appear as if he was an officer of a private firm called 88 Circle Trading accusing Dellosa and two others of demanding money from him.

Lopez said all instructions given by Agno to him “emanated from his boss, a certain Jeff Patawaran, which I overheard through their phone conversation.”

Lopez now claims that the complaint contains false allegations and he never met any of the three BOC officers.

He said the purpose of the filing of the extortion case was for a demolition job against the group of Dellosa so that Agco’s group could take over “and manipulate all the illegal transactions in the Bureau.”

In an interview with reporters after he submitted his recantation, he said nobody coached or paid him to withdraw the extortion charge and he is prepared for the consequences of his actions.

Lopez said Agco, a friend he worked with when he was with PASG, made him sign a prepared complaint-affidavit so that he can eventually work at the BOC.

He admitted that he did not meet Patawaran and only learned that the latter was the one allegedly pulling the strings when he asked Agco with whom he was having a phone conversation.

 â€œWhen I saw it in the news, my conscience bothered me,” Lopez, who was asked to come to Manila from Butuan City for the alleged “transaction,” said.