Resigned Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban invoked the name of God on Thursday after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered his arrest.
Duterte himself ordered Guban’s arrest for his alleged involvement in the illegal drug shipment initially estimated to be worth P6.8 billion but was later valued at P11 billion.
READ: Duterte: Arrest ex-BOC exec Jimmy Guban
Guban was initially reluctant to react to Duterte’s order when he faced the press conference at the Senate with Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee.
But when pressed, Guban noted the absence of a warrant for his arrest.
“Abogado po si Presidente, alam po niyang wala po akong warrant pa (The President is a lawyer, he knows there’s no warrant yet for my arrest),” Guban said.
He invoked the name of God when asked if he now fears for his life after the arrest order.
“I believe in God,” Guban said but refused to further comment on the issue.
Gordon said the former official is now under “protective custody” as he is currently considered a witness in the illegal drugs shipment.
Guban has been detained in the Senate after Gordon cited him for contempt last September 11 for allegedly refusing to tell the truth during the hearings of the committee.
But the contempt citation against Guban was lifted last October 9 when the witness agreed to tell-all on the issue, the senator said.
And since the committee is still investigating the controversy, Gordon said Guban will continue to stay in the Senate until he is placed under the government’s witness protection program.
“With all due respect to the President, if I’ve ever heard him correctly, we can’t turn over Mr. Guban right away because we are continuing the hearings…” the senator said. /ee
READ: Senate won’t ‘turn over’ yet drug witness Guban