‘David Tan’ shows up at Senate rice smuggling probe

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Davidson Bangayan. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Davidson Bangayan, the suspected “David Tan” allegedly involved in massive rice smuggling in the country, showed up at a Senate investigation on Wednesday.

Other personalities invited in the hearing of the Senate committee on agriculture and food were Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Customs Commissioner John Philip Sevilla, and Ombudsman Conchita Morales.

The committee decided to continue its hearing into the rice smuggling “in the light of reports of payoffs involving Customs officials and the identification of alleged smugglers,” its chair, Senator Cynthia Villar, said over the weekend.

Bangayan strongly denied reports that he and Tan are the same.

But an affidavit he allegedly executed in 2005 when he filed a libel complaint against Federation of Philippine Industries Inc., president Jesus Arranza and four others, showed that he was also known by that controversial name.

Arranza gave a copy of the complaint-affidavit and another document to de Lima.