MANILA, Philippines — A Manila Court has convicted alleged customs “fixer” Mark Taguba and two other individuals of importing dangerous drugs after smuggling over six billion pesos worth of shabu.
In a 37-page decision promulgated by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 on Monday, November 18, Taguba, along with Eirene Mae Tatad and Dong Yi Shen Xi, was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of P500,000.
They were found guilty of violating Section 4 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act which defines and penalizes importation of illegal drugs.
The case stemmed from the 2017 discovery of a P6.4 billion shabu haul from China that slipped past the Bureau of Customs.
According to the court, the alleged fixer “played a central role in facilitating the importation of the illegal drugs.”
“It is clear from the foregoing that Taguba played a central role in facilitating the importation of the illegal drugs. He processed the importation documents and used his logistics company, Golden Strike Logistics, Inc. to arrange for the transport of the container,” the court’s ruling read.
“Taguba's direct involvement in processing and facilitating the shipment's entry through the Bureau of Customs is a clear overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy,” it added.
The Manila court also noted that Taguba and the other accused's defenses were 'inherently weak.
“The Court cannot give weight to Tatad and Dong's defenses. Denial, essentially a negation of a fact, cannot prevail over the affirmative assertions of the fact. The courts - trial as well as appellate - have generally viewed denial in criminal cases with considerable caution, if not outright rejection,” the court’s decision read.
On September 14, Taguba and three others were also found guilty by another Manila court on three drug charges.
He and the others were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or 20 to 40 years of imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of P50 million per charge.