Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 23) — Allegations linking presidential son Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte to the drug smuggling controversy in the Bureau of Customs needs to be verified, palace officials said Wednesday.
“Unang-una, everything needs to be vetted even if somebody says that,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a news briefing.
He added the credibility of a customs fixer who is testifying in the senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the smuggled P6.4 billion shabu shipment should also be looked into.
“Especially the witness, is this a credible witness? Again, there has to be verifiable evidence. Hindi lang basta hearsay,” Abella said, referring to customs fixer Mark Taguba, whose revelations in the Senate hearing have exposed an entrenched system of corruption within the Bureau of Customs.
Abella also refused further comment until the senate hearing ensd.
“We defer any comments after all there’s an inquiry going on and the president’s position is always that he doesn’t interfere,” he said.
In Tuesday’s senate hearing, Taguba mentioned a so-called “Davao Group” — allegedly comprised of Davao City councilor Small Abellera, a certain “Tita Nani” and a certain “Jack” that facilitated bribes at the Bureau of Customs.
Taguba said he gave P5 million to Abellera, whom he referred to as a representative of the Davao City Vice Mayor. He fixer also gave the group a weekly bribe, the amount depending on the number of containers he brought in.
The Presidential Spokesperson said Davao councilor Abellera should cooperate in ongoing investigation. The senate committee said they will invite him to the next hearing scheduled for August 30.
CNN Philippines has been reaching out to Abellera and Duterte, but they have yet to respond.
President Rodrigo Duterte said he will resign if he sees documentary evidence that his son is involved in corruption.
Abella said President Duterte trusts that newly-appointed Customs Chief Isidro Lapeña will be able to handle the issue properly.
The Bureau of Customs has come under fire in recent weeks over the unimpeded entry of a P6.4 billion shipment of 604 kilograms of metamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) in May 2017.
