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Customs intel officer Guban backpedals, says he fulfilled duty to stop shabu smuggling
Former Customs Intelligence Officer Jimmy Guban on Tuesday washed his hands of the entry of as much as P6.8 billion to P11 billion worth of smuggled shabu in the country in an apparent backpedaling of his previous claim that he was involved in bringing the said shipment in.
In an affidavit he read during the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon panel probe on the smuggling of the P6.4 billion and P6.8 billion worth of shabu in the country, Guban said that it was ex-police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto who alerted him of an incoming shipment that contained shabu.
He added that they even worked together to apprehend it—a complete turnaround of his previous claim that it was Acierto who asked him to pick a consignee for shipping two magnetic lifters in Cavite.
Guban said it all started when he informed Acierto that Vecaba Trading, the importer of the concerned shipment, is not an accredited importer of the Bureau of Customs.
“When I informed Acierto that Vecaba cannot be allowed to process the importation of the goods, he requested me to help him release the goods covered by the bill of lading where Vecaba Trading was named importer/consignee. In response, I said it is possible to work on it but please make sure these are properly declared just like the first, second and third shipment wherein he sought my help in releasing them. He then confided to me that the goods covered by the bill of lading where Vecaba Trading is named importer/consignee are actually illegal drugs, particularly shabu," Guban said.
“Upon hearing this, I responded that it was not possible, and I declared to Colonel. Acierto that we from BOC will cause the apprehension of the drugs since this is my duty as a government employee and a Customs intelligence officer. Upon seeing my sincere will and intention to have these drugs apprehended, Colonel Acierto committed to me that he will help in its apprehension by providing details of the shipment,” he added.
Guban then said he asked Acierto to meet with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-National Capital Region chief Ismael Fajardo who was his college classmate, and that Acierto continued to provide information on a piecemeal basis until the shabu shipment in two magnetic lifters were discovered at the Manila International Container Port on August 7.
It was at this moment, Guban said, that he realized that the magnetic lifters were identical to the shipment sent to Cavite that Acierto asked him to look for a consignee which was SMYD Trading.
Guban said that while his revelations on Tuesday may contradict his previous statements, he said that this was only due to his detention in the Senate, fear for the safety of his family and stress brought about the inquiry.
“I now open myself for more questions regarding this inquiry,” Guban added.
But for Senator Richard Gordon who chairs the Senate blue ribbon panel, Guban’s testimony cannot be taken as gospel truth.
“His (Guban’s) word is not enough to exculpate Acierto. In fact, he inculpates Acierto by saying that it was Acierto who said na may droga [sa magnetic lifters]. Ine-exculpate naman ni Guban ‘yung sarili niya. Hindi makakalusot si Acierto sa statement na ‘yun [ni Guban],” Gordon said.
Gordon said that Acierto’s testimony in the Senate probe would still be needed to ferret out the truth.
“Dapat sumipot si Acierto, humarap siya rito [sa Senado], siya ang magsabi. Kasi siya ang may pinakamalaking sasabihin rito. Ang theory ko diyan, pinalabas ‘yung malaki [na P11 billion sa Cavite], nagpahuli ng maliit [na nakuha sa Maynila],” Gordon said. —KG, GMA News
