Lapeña backpedals, now thinks magnetic lifters contained ‘shabu’
PERSONAL ATTACK Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña says his reforms in the bureau are hurting drug syndicates and traders, and could be the reason for the “well-funded and coordinated attack” against him. —JOAN BONDOC
Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Isidro Lapeña now believes that the four magnetic lifters discovered in Cavite contained illegal drugs.
Earlier, Lapeña has belied the claims of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that the said magnetic lifters contained shabu.
READ: BOC belies PDEA claim of P6.8-B ‘shabu’ smuggling
“Well, the magnetic lifters in GMA, Cavite, were discovered, walang nakita Sir na…when it was subjected to the desk…for shabu…with the circumstantial evidences…I will tend to believe that indeed may laman ‘yan, Sir,” Lapeña told lawmakers in a congressional hearing on Wednesday.
“Especially with the testimony of the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) that it’s not designed to be a magnetic lifter but it is designed to carry certain cargoes,” he added.
The House committees on dangerous drugs and government and public accountability resumed its hearing into the continued inability of the BOC to prevent large scale smuggling of illegal drugs into the country.
“Masasabi ko lang Commissioner, if you will accept, in spite of all the numerous circumstantial pieces of evidence, you will be accused of cover-up, tama?,” Antipolo City 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop asked Lapeña towards the end of the House inquiry with regards to alleged smuggling of 1-ton shabu into the country as discovered by PDEA.
“Yes, your honor, that’s why I’m saying that with these development, I will believe indeed there was a content that has been peddled by this group, of this drug syndicate,” Lapeña said. /kga
