Broker’s claim vs Paolo Duterte to be probed

Congressmen probing corruption at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said they would have to scrutinize the claim of a customs broker that Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte was part of a group involved in corruption at the bureau.

Customs broker Mark Taguba made the claim during the Monday hearing of the House dangerous drugs committee where he also identified five top BOC officials as having received bribes from him.

Hours after making the claim, Taguba retracted his testimony but one of the people whom he identified, former Marine officer Milo Maestrecampo, said the retraction was too late.

‘Delicadeza’

Maestrecampo, director of the BOC Import Assessment Service, on Tuesday submitted a courtesy resignation to President Rodrigo Duterte in order “to fight for my honor and integrity and in the name of delicadeza.”

Maestrecampo said Taguba’s retraction was “too late” because his name had already been dragged into the controversy.

Late into his 13-hour testimony before the House, Taguba admitted he never gave money to the five officials he named and only meant to identify the offices that received bribes from him.

Quirino Rep. Dakila Carlo Cua, who heads a separate probe by the House ways and means committee, said inconsistency was one of the problems with Taguba’s testimony.

“There are some inconsistencies. He sometimes changes his mind,” Cua said, noting that Taguba identified certain contacts, identified only as “Tita Nani,” “Jake” and “Small,” as being the source of his claim.

Aside from Maestrecampo, Taguba also identified Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Teddy Raval, Manila International Container Port District Collector Vincent Philip Maronilla, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service Director Neil Estrella, and MICP CIIS District Intelligence Officer Teodoro Sagaral.