Taguba seeks bail in P6.4-B shabu case

MANILA, Philippines — Customs fixer Mark Ruben Taguba has filed a petition for bail in connection with the P6.4-billion shabu smuggling charges he is facing before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC).

In a petition dated Jan. 22, Taguba asked the Manila RTC Branch 1 to grant him bail, saying he is not a flight risk.

 “He has been cooperating with the authorities even before the case was filed against him,” Taguba’s lawyer said.

Taguba’s camp cited his surrender to the Senate when a warrant was issued for his arrest in January last year over a separate drug importation case before the Manila RTC Branch 46.

“In the event that the respondent is granted bail, he vows to appear during the hearing of the case to prove his innocence,” the petition read.

Taguba and eight others are accused of facilitating the importation and delivery of 602 kilos of shabu shipped from China through Hongfei Logistics.

The Department of Justice filed against him a separate complaint for prohibited importation of illegal drugs under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Law.

Taguba and Eirene Tatad, owner of EMT Trading which was the consignee of the shabu shipment, are being held at the Manila city jail.

The Chinese businessmen allegedly involved in the drug shipment, including Hongfei Logistics owner Richard Tan remain at large.

Fidel Anoche Dee, said to be the caretaker of the warehouse in Valenzuela City where the P6.4 billion worth of shabu was confiscated in May 2017, is detained at the city jail on charges of illegal possession of drugs.

The respondents were also charged with drug delivery and transportation before the Valenzuela RTC. But the charges were dismissed due to forum shopping.