Former Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV, on Wednesday, filed a drug smuggling charge before the Department of Justice against Congressman Paolo “Pulong”Duterte, Atty. Mans Carpio, also the husband Vice President Sara Duterte, former Bureau of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, former Presidential Adviser Allen Capuyan, Davao City Councilor Small Abellera, notorious drug smuggler Charlie Tan, and four others, in relation to the P6.4 billion worth shabu shipment that was seized in 2017.
“This morning, I filed a case against Pulong Duterte and other members of the Davao group smuggling syndicate. This is the result of the Senate investigations conducted in 2017, in which we have identified Pulong, Charlie Tan, and Mans Carpio, as the masterminds behind the Php6.4 billion shabu shipment that was allowed to slip through Customs in collaboration with its Commissioner Nic Faeldon and former Presidential Adviser Allen Capuyan who was known as the ‘Big Brother, ” Trillanes explained.
In May of 2017, P6.4 billion worth of shabu weighing more than 600 kilograms were seized by authorities from a warehouse in Valenzuela City, after it was released by the Bureau of Customs at the Manila International Container Port (MICP). Thereafter, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee conducted a series of public hearings, which revealed that the subject contraband, through the efforts of the conspirators, was given a “green lane” passage to slip through the Bureau of Custom’s alert system and were not subjected physical inspection and document verification.
“The conspiracy to import the subject shipment from China to the Philippines necessitated the crucial interventions of the ‘powerful insiders’- the corrupt customs leadership, and more importantly, the very powerful protectors who used their influence to consummate this unlawful crime of importation of billions of pesos worth of dangerous drugs into the country.”
Trillanes charged the 10 respondents for violation of Section 4 in relation to Section 26(a) of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002” as amended by Republic Act No. 10640; and Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise known as “The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.”
“Dito mo makikita na fake ang War on Drugs ni Duterte. Libu-libo ang mga pinatay na hinihinalang drug addicts pero sila mismo pala ang protektor at kapartner ng mga big time drug lords. Pinatay lang nila ang kumpetisyon sa illegal drug trade,” Trillanes further emphasized. (ROSE NOVENARIO)
