Customs broker gets Senate protection after tagging execs in P6-B drug shipment

The Customs broker who implicated some officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the shipment of P6.25-billion worth of shabu from China will be taken into the protective custody of the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III moved that Mark Ruben Taguba II be granted protective custody by the Senate.

This was immediately approved by the Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Richard Gordon.

This after Taguba requested for an executive session with the Senate committee leaders and members to discuss further the Customs officials’ alleged knowledge on the drug shipment.

Gordon said they will ask Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III to assign the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA) to provide protection for Taguba.

“And maybe additional security from other law enforcement agencies for as long as it is needed,” Gordon said.

Mark Ruben Taguba II is taken into protective custody after he spoke with senators in an executive session. Photo by Christine Avendano/INQUIRER

During the five-hour hearing, Taguba said Tan knew of the illegal shipment even before the authorities raided his warehouse.

“Siguradong-sigurado po ako na siya nag-karga ng drugs,” Taguba told the Senate panel.

He later clarified: “Siya ang nagparating ng drugs pero hindi ko alam kung siya ang may-ari ng drugs.”

Taguba facilitated the delivery of the container which allegedly had the five metal cylinders, weighing 200 kilograms each.

But he denied that the cylinders stuffed with hundreds of shabu plastics inside came from the container he delivered.

To prove his claim, his drivers testified before the panel that when they unloaded the products from the container last May 23, three days before the raid, the boxes they carried were light.

“Noong inunload nila, puro kahon lang ang binaba. Sa bigat ng cylinder, kailangan ng forklift. Imposibleng nanggaling sa container ‘yung shabu,” Taguba said.

He also slammed Customs officials—chief Nicanor Faeldon and Neil Estrella—for taking a picture with Richard Tan after the raid.

“Wala namang lumalabas na balita kay Richard Tan. Lahat ng balita si EMT at Marcellana. Bakit hindi naimbestigahan ‘yung tao kung saan natagpuan ‘yung droga. Doon nila nakita ‘yung droga nagpa-picture pa sila. Pinost pa noong May 27,” Taguba said.

He was referring to the consignee of the shipment EMT trading and Customs broker Teejay Marcellana, who are being blamed for the delivery of the drugs.