NBI seeks graft raps vs BOC, PDEA over P1B shabu raid

0
1401
Bureau of Customs file photo of the May 23, 2019 raid on a Malabon warehouse where the P1 billion-worth of shabu was found.
  • The National Bureau of Investigation recommended the filing of graft and grave misconduct charges against officials of the Bureau of Customs, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and anti-narcotics agents
  • The complaint concerns the estimated P1 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride seized in a joint raid on a warehouse in Malabon City in 2019
  • A panel of prosecutors will be created by the Department of Justice to investigate the NBI complaint

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has recommended the filing of graft and grave misconduct charges against incumbent and former officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and anti-narcotics agents.

The complaint is related to the estimated P1 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride seized in 2019.

Included in the complaint filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) are Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, PDEA director general Wilkins Villanueva, BOC deputy commissioner Raniel Ramiro, and former PDEA director general Aaron Aquino.

NBI said Guerrero, Ramiro, and Aquino should be charged for violating Section 4(c) of Republic Act (RA) No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees, serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service; and

Villanueva, Ramiro and Aquino for violating Section 3(e) of RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The NBI recommended that Villanueva be charged for failure to comply with the anti-graft law, for alleged grave misconduct, and supposed conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service. Recommended charged with him are PDEA agents Joel Plaza, Aldrin Albarino, Jigger Montallana, Melvin Estoque, Jan Mark Malibiran, Judith Rigo, Dorcas Repolles, Noilan Avila, Mark Espiritu, Marc Anthony Marero, Cesar Bilowan, Alejandro Noble, Koden Dario, and Kathryn Joy Diono.

PDEA operatives Daniel Martinez, Lester Martobago and Mark Erick Espiritu are accused of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

NBI also wants BOC officials Vincent Puti, Ivy Joy Nitura and Rory Dela Torre charged for violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Ready to clear themselves

“We are ready to answer the allegations in the complaint,” Guerrero told PortCalls in a text message.

PDEA, in a separate statement, said it “reserves its right to pursue available remedies relative to the recommendation of the NBI” and that PDEA officials and agents who were implicated in the investigation “are ready to clear their names in the proper forum.”

PDEA also cleared Villanueva, saying he had “nothing to do with the operation in 2019 as he was still regional director in Northern Mindanao at the time and only took the helm of the agency last year. Aquino was still the head of the agency during that time.”

DOJ prosecutor general Benedicto Malcontento said he will create a panel of prosecutors that will conduct a preliminary investigation into the complaint filed by NBI.

In 2019, BOC, PDEA, and other government agencies seized an estimated 146 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, with an approximate street value of around P1 billion following a joint raid on a warehouse in Malabon City.

During the joint operation conducted May 23, 2019, the authorities discovered the illegal drugs inserted in 30 aluminum pallets in a shipment of tapioca starch.

But instead of immediately seizing the shipment, BOC said they decided to allow the shipment to be auctioned off, hoping it would draw out members of drug syndicates interested in bidding for the shipment.

At a public auction on April 22, 2019, Goldwin Commercial won the bid for three containers of tapioca starch.

A day after Goldwin claimed the shipment on May 22, 2019, authorities conducted a joint operation on the company’s warehouse in Malabon and discovered the drugs in containers which Goldwin earlier won in the bidding.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, in a privilege speech in 2019 questioned the decision to auction off the containers. He cited PDEA Metro Manila director Joel Plaza’s statement saying authorities did not detect the illegal drugs until Goldwin Commercial reported it to BOC. In response to Lacson’s speech, BOC clarified it only auctioned off the tapioca starch and not the shabu.

READ: BOC insists it auctioned off only tapioca starch, not shabu

NBI, in its complaint, cited documents showing the shipment had been examined by PDEA and BOC agents prior to the auction and had cleared it of illegal drugs.

It added that contrary to the claim of PDEA and BOC, the conduct of the auction for “controlled delivery” was a fabrication.