VP’S HUSBAND, BROTHER, MICHAEL YANG LINKED TO DRUG SMUGGLING

A FORMER intelligence officer of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Friday linked lawyer Manases Carpio, the husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, her brother Davao City 1^st district Rep. Paolo “Polong” Duterte  and former President Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential economic adviser and Chinese businessman Michael Yang to the smuggling of P11 billion worth of shabu hidden in magnetic lifters discovered at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in 2018.

Ex-BOC intelligence officer Jimmy Guban  made the revelation  before the House of Representatives’ quad committee investigating the alleged links between Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), the illegal drug trade, and the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) tied to the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.”

Guban, who is currently detained at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, was brought to Bacolor, Pampanga, where the quad-committee — comprising the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights and Public Accounts — held its first joint public hearing.

He arrived at the hearing wearing a bulletproof vest and a prisoner’s orange t-shirt as he has been incarcerated for six years now after he was convicted for his role in the drug smuggling operations.

The former BOC intelligence stated in his affidavit submitted to the committee that in 2017, he was introduced to Davao City councilor Nilo “Small” Abellera Jr. by a Chinese businessman whom he knew only as “Henry.”

“In the said meeting, ‘Small’ told me that he is the business partner and trusted man of Michael Yang, Polong Duterte, the son of then president Rodrigo Duterte, and attorney Mans Carpio, the husband of then Davao City mayor Sara Duterte,” he said.

Guban claimed that “Small” told him he was tasked to facilitate the release of shipments.

He said he was requested by “Small” to ease the processing of the shipments because those were Yang’s, Polong’s and Mans’.

He quoted Abellera as saying: “Luwagan mo ‘yang mga shipments na ‘yan, alam mo naman na kina Michael Yang, Pulong at Mans ‘yan.”

Citing intelligence reports, he said his team was able to seize magnetic lifters used to conceal billions worth of smuggled shabu at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

PDEA officials earlier estimated that the lifters at the MICP and a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez in Cavite – all were found empty – may have contained shabu valued at P11 billion.

Guban alleged that the former first family tried to exert their influence over the shipment.

He lamented he was just doing his job but he was the one being pinned over the illegal drugs he confiscated.

“There is a grand conspiracy to clean the names of the first family and Michael Yang’s and to include in the information the name of their political rival, Sen. Antonio Trillanes, and I did not agree. I said that person does not know anything,” he told the committee.

He also revealed his collaboration with former police officer Col. Eduardo Acierto, who provided additional intelligence on the smuggling operations. 

Guban said Acierto’s investigations identified a suspicious shipment from Vecaba Trading International, the consignee of the seized shabu.

According to Guban, Vecaba Trading is owned by Vedasto Cabral Baraquel Jr. and his live-in partner Maria Lagrimas Catipan, who serve as business dummies for businessman and importer Poney Chen and his former wife, Emily Luquingan, both residents of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.

Guban said he reported his findings to a certain Gen. Quinto, who sought approval from then Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña to place the shipment on hold.

“When it became certain that the shipment of Vecaba Trading was located in the MICP, I reported to Gen. Quinto this fact so that he could request Commissioner Lapeña for the issuance of a hold-and-alert order. That request was approved by the then Commissioner Lapeña,” Guban stated.

Guban’s affidavit also detailed a threat he received during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, where he was cited for contempt due to inconsistencies in his testimony.

He also mentioned journalists Benny Antiporda and Paul Gutierrez, whom he said were working with the Dutertes.

Guban recalled that when he was facing Senate probe, Gutierrez, accompanied by a Senate Blue Ribbon committee staff member, visited him and warned him against mentioning the names of Polong Duterte, Carpio and Yang in his testimony.

“‘Wag mong banggitin ang mga pangalan nila Pulong, Michael Yang, at Mans. Alam namin kung saan nakatira ang pamilya mo, alam din namin na nasa Makati ang anak mong lalaki,” Gutierrez allegedly told Guban.

Gutierrez, a former president of the National Press Club, is currently the executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security.

In another instance, Guban recounted a phone call from Bureau of Customs official Lourdes Mangaoang, who inquired about the Vecaba Trading shipment. 

According to Guban, Mangaoang said: “Anong magagawa d’yan sa shipment na ‘yan, kina pareng Benny Antiporda ‘yan,” referring to then-Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Benny Antiporda.

The shipment from Vecaba Trading was eventually intercepted, and two magnetic lifters containing shabu were discovered. 

Guban told the joint committee that the Dutertes lobbied for the magnetic lifters that they apprehended containing shabu at the Manila Container Port.

Toward the end of the hearing, the quad committee ordered that invitations be sent to all individuals mentioned by Guban in his affidavit and testimony.

Meanwhile, Congressman Duterte denied involvement in illegal drugs and denied knowing Guban.

Other men whose names were brought up by Guban in Friday’s inquiry also came forward to dispel the accusations.

“Time and again, Guban has been proven to be an inveterate liar. Our lawmakers should therefore be forewarned in believing anything he says,” Gutierrez said.

“Mr. Guban’s allegations are lies of great magnitude as magnified by the fact that it lacks any evidentiary support but his self-serving allegations,” stated Antiporda.

Vice President Duterte said only her husband could answer the allegations against him.

She also said that she cannot speak for her brother.