‘Davao Group’ summoned to Senate probe on shabu shipment

Alleged members of the so-called Davao Group were summoned to attend the fourth hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigation on the P6.4 billion worth of illegal drugs smuggled from China on Wednesday.

It was Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who requested the committee chaired by Senator Richard Gordon to invite Nilo “Small” Abellera, a councilor of Davao City; as well as Hernani Co, chief of auction division of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), and a certain Lourdes Rosario from the BOC’s Imports and Assessment Service section.

Trillanes earlier said both Co and Rosario were tagged as the real identity behind “Tita Nanie.”

The aliases Small, Tita Nanie, and Jack were mentioned by Customs 'fixer' Mark Taguba. Taguba said they had been invoking the so-called Davao Group in their transactions in the BOC.

The invitations have been sent to all three, but the committee has yet to be informed whether or not they will attend.

Davao Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, son of President Duterte, is said to be behind the said group.

Trillanes had also claimed that he has a list of Customs officers allegedly receiving payola.

Meanwhile, Richard Tan, who owns the company that allegedly imported the shabu, and his alleged middleman, Manny Li, are also expected to face the committee anew. Tan and Li have remained cited in contempt for two weeks.

In last week’s hearing, Gordon said Tan and Li’s statements before the committee are still “not sufficient.”

Gordon said he is ready to prepare a preliminary report on the committee’s investigation soon.

Senate and House leaders earlier said that Duterte will decide on Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon’s fate when both the Senate and House of Representatives conclude their investigation.

On Tuesday night, however, Duterte announced that he will accept Faeldon’s resignation, whom the President said asked to be relieved thrice. He said he will appoint PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña to the post. —KG, GMA News