Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers lead the hearing of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs in this file photo taken on May 17, 2023. (Photo from a video posted on the Facebook page of the House of Representatives)
BACOLOR, Pampanga — Even if personalities close to former president Rodrigo Duterte have been mentioned during the House of Representatives quad-committee’s first hearing, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers still maintains that the discussions had no political goal.
After the hearing on Friday, Barbers explained that the quad-committee’s goal is only to ferret out the truth, stressing that they need to listen to all testimonies that would be given.
Barbers, head of the House committee on dangerous drugs which forms part of the quad-committee, said that former Bureau of Customs (BOC) intelligence officer Jimmy Guban still has to substantiate his claims.
“Our objective here in the quad-comm is to release the truth, right? This, apparently, as he (Guban) stated earlier, is the truth behind what happened to the magnetic lifters (that contained) shabu which eluded authorities in 2018,” Barbers told reporters in an ambush interview.
“There is no politics here, as if ever he (Guban) fails to substantiate these allegations and if it is laden with politics, we would not pay attention to that. But we only gave him a chance to explain, for him to be asked by Congress members as to what he is trying to say,” he added.
Guban during the quad-committee hearing said that former Environment undersecretary Benny Antiporda sent emissaries in 2018 to warn the then Customs intel officer that he will die if he names Duterte’s son Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, his son-in-law Atty. Manases Carpio, and former economic adviser Michael Yang, as those involved in the illegal drugs shipment last 2018.
The former Customs official was referring to the ton of shabu worth P6.8 billion, concealed in a magnetic lifter, which eluded authorities in 2018. The House and the Senate investigated the matter and Guban appeared in the hearings — where he was cited for contempt.
READ: 1 ton of shabu worth P6.8B eludes PDEA, PNP
Guban said that a certain Paul Gutierrez, supposedly part of Antiporda’s staff, relayed the death threat and even said that his child can be kidnapped if he mentions the said individuals.
READ: ‘Don’t name Paolo Duterte, Mans Carpio, Yang in 2018 shabu import mess’
Rep. Duterte, Antiporda, and Gutierrez — who currently heads the residential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) — have separately denied Guban’s accusations. According to Rep. Duterte, he has never met Guban, adding that the former BOC official cannot be treated as a star witness as he is not credible, having been cited for contempt for lying at the Senate blue ribbon committee.
READ: Rep. Duterte denies knowing Guban, calls him not credible as witness
Surprise
Barbers admitted that he was surprised with Guban’s testimonies, which he admitted to be grave accusations.
“Oh yes, we were surprised because we only saw the affidavit a while ago, when it was given to lawmakers. Some were able to ask questions, but others are studying his (Guban’s) affidavit,” he said.
The lawmaker said more discussions on the matter could have been held if only there was more time to entertain questions from lawmakers.
“Well, maybe it was because we were short on time that’s why the evidence was not discussed, maybe we will look if we can further expound on whatever he has, especially regarding his evidence. Definitely, if this has no evidence to support his claims, we will not treat this to have a heavy weight, because these are grave accusations,” Barbers said.
“We did not expect it. We thought that he would speak on an issue that will help us ascertain the links between Pogos and illegal drugs. But there seems to be another revelation there, so I think the other committee members believe this is a big issue that the committee must discuss,” he added.
Duterte was one of the individuals that House committee on human rights chairperson and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. asked to be invited to the next quad-committee hearing. The other individuals are Carpio, former Davao councilor Nilo Abellera Jr., Antiporda, and Gutierrez.
READ: Acierto, ex-PDEA officer, others indicted over shabu in magnetic lifters
Guban, former PDEA deputy director Ismael Fajardo and former police officer Eduardo Acierto meanwhile were labeled as “core conspirators” in the plan to smuggle shabu into the country using the magnetic lifters.
Guban has been convicted for drug importation. During the quad-committee hearings, he was accompanied by Bureau of Corrections officers who secured him.