The 602.2-kilo “shabu” shipment is presented at the National Bureau of Investigation on May 29, 2017, after its discovery in two warehouses in Valenzuela City. —Marianne Bermudez
The Department of Justice (DOJ) refiled in the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) the drug smuggling case against alleged Customs fixer Mark Taguba and 11 others, including two foreigners and three John Does.
The charges stemmed from the May 2017 importation from China of 602.2 kilograms of “shabu” (crystal meth) worth P6.4 billion through the “express lane” facility of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Aside from Taguba, the DOJ indicted Philippine Hongfei Logistics Group of Companies Inc. chair Chen Ju Long (alias Richard Tan), Manny Li, Kenneth Dong, EMT Trading owner Eirene Mae Tatad, Customs broker Teejay Marcellana, Taiwanese nationals Chen I-Min and Jhu Ming Jyun, Chen Rong Huan and three John Does.
The charges were originally filed in November in the Valenzuela RTC, but Judge Nena Santos of Branch 171 dismissed the case the following month, citing lack of jurisdiction because the crime supposedly happened in Manila and not Valenzuela.
The DOJ appealed the ruling, arguing that the drugs were found at two Valenzuela warehouses of Hongfei Logistics, but Santos dismissed the appeal with finality.
After it was refiled in the Manila RTC, the case was raffled off to Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa of Branch 46.
The smuggling incident sparked a controversy that resulted in the forced resignation in August of top Customs officials, including then Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, who is still detained at the Senate for refusing to testify before a blue ribbon committee probe.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV also attempted to implicate the family of President Duterte in the drug smuggling but failed to present hard evidence after nine hearings.
Trillanes accused resigned Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, of being part of the conspiracy.
Both men made personal appearances at the blue ribbon probe to deny the allegations. The Senate committee later said there was no proof to back Trillanes’ accusations.
The blue ribbon committee again summoned Faeldon to another hearing of the panel on Jan. 29 to testify on the equally controversial system of “tara” (regular bribes) in the BOC.
Aside from the tara system, Faeldon was also summoned to another hearing on the controversial P6.4-billion shabu shipment.
“[But] he will maintain, I think, his right to his personal dignity, specifically his right not to be browbeaten (again) with hopelessly unprovable and garbage allegations,” Faeldon’s lawyer, Jose Diño Jr., said in a text message to Inquirer.net
Despite being detained in a facility within the Senate compound, Mr. Duterte still appointed Faeldon as deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defense in December.