Consignee in ‘smuggled’ P6.8B shabu says BOC exec threatening her

MAGNETIC LIFTERS An agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency secures as evidence the magnetic lifters used to smuggle a ton of “shabu” worth P6.8 billion at a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite province, on Friday. The law enforcers found only traces of the illegal drug in themagnetic lifters. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The owner of SMYD Trading – listed consignee of the magnetic lifters that allegedly contained P6.8 billion worth of shabu purportedly smuggled into the country – has accused a Bureau of Customs (BOC) official of threatening her so she would side with him during Senate investigation.

Marina Signapan said Jimmy Guban, of BOC’s Intelligence and Investigation Service, has called to tell her to cooperate with him during the Senate inquiry on the smuggled 1-ton shabu while also reminding her that the people he brought to her are professionals in holding gun.

“Natatakot po ako sa kanya. Alam na alam po ni Jimmy Guban ‘yan. Sinabi niya sa akin na ‘yung mga taong dinala niya sa akin ay magagaling humawak ng baril (I’m afraid of him. Jimmy Guban already knows that. He told me that the people he brought to me are professionals in holding gun),” Signapan said a hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

“Sinabi niya po sa akin, tumawag po siya sa akin na makipag-cooperate ako sa kanya (He told me, he called me, to cooperate with him),” Signapan also said.

Blue Ribbon panel chair Senator Richard Gordon then asked Signapan about how Guban specifically wants her to cooperate. Signapan replied: “Sa gusto niya; na si Joel po dinala niya para ‘yun daw po ang sumagot sa kanya (To what he wants; that he brought Joel so he would answer for him).”

Signapan was referring to Joel Maritangan, a scrapper in Cavite, whom she earlier accused of paying her P180,000 in exchange of being the consignee of the shipment. Maritana has denied her claim, saying he doesn’t have such amount.

Guban also denied threatening Signapan.

“I swear to everything kung tinakot ko po siya ni minsan (if it’s true that I threatened her even once),” he said.

Signapan, during an earlier hearing, also alleged that Guban was operating behind Maritana. /kga

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