Blue Ribbon panel holds Customs intel officer in contempt ‘for lying’

Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday cited Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service officer Jimmy Guban in contempt for allegedly lying before the Blue Ribbon Committee during its investigation into the alleged P6.8-billion shabu shipment discovered in Cavite last month.

“I am ordering this man to be placed in the custody of the Senate for whatever purpose, wherever he will be assigned [but] preferably in Pasay City Jail, until he apologizes for lying in the Senate,” Gordon said.

During the hearing, Guban said that he had been conducting a probe into the entry of illegal drugs from Malaysia that was hidden in hardware.

But Gordon later learned that it was Guban who got a scrapper named Joel Maritana to take responsibility for the magnetic lifters found in a warehouse in Cavite. The lifters came into the country with the lifters that yielded P4.3 billion worth of shabu at the Manila International Container Port some days earlier.

SMYD Trading, owned by Marina Signapan, was the consignee of the shipment in Cavite. Signapan said it was Maritana who put down the name of the SMYD as consignee without her consent. She said she was initially angry at Maritana for doing it but later agreed provided that the latter pay her P180,000 for handling fee, duties, and taxes.

When asked by Gordon, Maritana said that it was Guban who introduced him to Signapan.

"Siya [Guban] po ang nagpakilala sa akin kay Mrs. Signapan, sa SMYD," said Maritana, who claimed that Guban was the chairman of Guardians in their area.

Pressed by Gordon, Guban admitted that it was he who named SMYD as consignee for the shipment.

"Ako po sir ang kumuha ng consignee para po ma-facilitate yang kargamento. For the incoming operation, apprehension of Vecaba Trading," said Guban.

Gordon questioned Guban's action.

"Why? If you knew that there was drugs already why do they have to get a consignee," he said.

In the next hearing, Gordon said he will call other Customs officers and a Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto to shed more light on the case. — BM, GMA News