Teams formed to hunt, arrest Taguba’s co-accused in P6.4-B shabu shipment

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has formed several teams to hunt down the seven other co-accused of Customs fixer Mark Ruben Taguba II in the controversial importation of P6.4-billion shabu from China.

“We will have to account for the others named in the warrant. Agents of the NBI in different parts of the country are trying to locate others stated in the warrant,” NBI Spokesman Ferdinand Lavin said on Thursday.

Deputy Director for Investigative Service (DDIS) Vicente De Guzman disclosed the creation of several teams to track down Taguba’s co-accused.

Meanwhile, contradicting Taguba’s claims that he voluntarily surrendered to authorities, the NBI asserted that Taguba was arrested on Wednesday night.

De Guzman said that after they received the copy of the arrest warrant from the court, they immediately coordinated with the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms for Taguba’s turnover. Taguba was under the Senate’s protective custody prior to the issuance of the arrest order.

NBI agents then brought Taguba to the court to submit a return of the warrant.

De Guzman said Taguba would remain under NBI’s custody until further orders from the court.

On Wednesday, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 ordered the arrest of Taguba as well as Li Guang Feng alias Manny Li, Dong Yi Shen Xi alias Kenneth Dong, Eirene Mae Tatad, Teejan Marcellana, Chen I-Min, Jhu Ming Jhyun, and Chen Rong Juan. /kga