SBMA exec admits using Enrile’s name

An official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) testified on Monday that he used the name of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to pressure a colleague to cooperate in expediting the release of a questionable shipment of Indian rice worth P500 million.

Stefani Saño, SBMA senior deputy administrator for business and investments, made the admission at the joint hearing of four Senate committees investigating the April 5 shipment while Enrile was then presiding judge in the Senate impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said President Aquino himself had informed him of the shipment in mid-April, nearly two weeks after its arrival in Subic in Zambales province.

Enrile threatened to cite in contempt anyone found lying about the circumstances of how the rice shipment arrived in Subic.

Senators were earlier told that the rice left India in late March and was bound for Jakarta but Indonesian port authorities refused to accept the import for lack of the necessary permits.

Enrile, however, was convinced that the shipment was intended for release in the Philippines, especially after SBMA seaport manager Capt. Perfecto Pascual admitted that it took two weeks for a shipment from India to reach the Philippines by sea.

Enrile noted that if officials of the SBMA and consignor Metro Eastern Trading Corp. (Meti) held a prearrival conference on April 3, two days before the shipment reached Subic, the rice import “was already floating in the seas” when the consignor applied for vessel entry to the free port.

“Why are you confusing us? You said Jakarta rejected the shipment? We are not fools here. We will apply the disciplinary powers of the Senate to show you that you cannot lie here,” Enrile said.

Claims of Arroyo connection

Saño was explaining his supposed nonparticipation in the attempt by Meti officials to clear the shipment when Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada asked him whether he knew of anyone who was trying to connect Enrile to a certain Bong Cuevas, described as a broker.

“Did Bong say I am his friend?” Enrile seconded.

Saño said he knew Cuevas to be associated with former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“He has a construction company but I do not recall Bong saying he knew the Senate President,” Saño replied.

Estrada asked if Saño told SBMA senior deputy administrator for operations Redentor Tuazon “not to mess with Bong Cuevas because he is connected with Enrile.”

Both Saño and Tuazon reportedly went on leave from SBMA after news broke out about the shipment.

Tuazon later told the senators that while the shipment was being investigated by customs collector Errol Albano, he got a call from Saño.

President’s order

Saño allegedly said Meti vice president Cesar Bulaon was “asking for money” from the Indian rice exporter, whom Tuazon surmised was Amira Foods India Ltd. to get the shipment cleared.

Tuazon was vague about the details but said Saño asked him for a “certification from my office … maybe to support their argument with Customs.”

“I was wondering what kind of certification it was because there is no such certification required,” he said.

Tuazon added that when Saño called, he was already aware that the President had instructed the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to monitor the shipment.

But when he initially allowed the shipment unloaded and kept in a Subic warehouse shortly after it arrived, Tuazon said he was not yet aware that Mr. Aquino was aware of developments in the free port.

Tuazon said the unnamed Indian exporter complained to Cuevas about “the act of Bulaon,” which prompted Saño to warn him that Cuevas was close to Enrile.

Malicious intent

Enrile turned to Saño anew, asking the SBMA official about the alleged links between Cuevas and the Senate President.

“I don’t know how the two of you are related.  But I recall having made that phone call to Tuazon,” Saño said evasively.

Saño eventually admitted he got a call from Cuevas asking whether Tuazon could issue a certification that would mention any SBMA policy “that can be used as an argument” to convince the customs bureau to release the shipment.

“It’s possible I might have told Tuazon that Cuevas is close to [Arroyo].  It’s possible I said that Cuevas is an Enrile associate.  Yes, I admit, I said that,” Saño confessed.

Saño said he had known Cuevas since 2007 and that Cuevas always mentioned that he had connections in high places.

“I have known him in Port Irene [in Cagayan province] but I booted him out,” Enrile volunteered.

“You would not mention my name if you had no malicious purpose.  The supposed connection between Cuevas and me was clearly to influence Tuazon.  Why did you not use another name, like Pontius Pilate?” Enrile asked.

Saño apologized to Enrile.

“I don’t accept your sorriness! Explain,” said Enrile, who had called for the Senate investigation.