Trillanes wants councilor summoned over ‘Davao Group’ claims

Senator Antonio Trillanes. AFP FILE PHOTO

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has asked the Senate blue ribbon committee to summon in the next hearing certain personalities — including a Davao City councilor — who were allegedly part of the “Davao Group” in the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

In a letter to committee chairman Richard Gordon dated Aug. 16, Trillanes asked that Davao Councilor Nilo “Small” Abellera, BOC chief of auction division Hernani Co and Lourdes Rosario of BOC’s Imports and Assessment Service be invited to the next hearing on the P6.4-billion shabu shipment that slipped through Customs.

This was to validate the information revealed by private broker Mark Ruben Taguba II in previous hearings on the illegal shipment, said Trillanes.

The senator claimed that Abellera was the link of presidential son Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte to the BOC.

READ: Paolo Duterte’s name crops up at House BOC inquiry

Taguba earlier told congressional hearings that a certain “Small,” “Tita Nani,” and “Jack” were using the name of Vice Mayor Duterte to make illegal collections for the processing of shipments through Customs.

The three were allegedly part of the “Davao Group.”

READ: Palace dares critics to file charges vs Duterte’s son / Duterte: I’ll quit if my son is into corruption

President Rodrigo Duterte, father of the vice mayor, has said that he would resign if it would be proven that his son was involved in corruption.

Senate hearing on the Customs mess will resume on August 22. CBB