Taguba clears Duterte’s son, son-in-law from Customs anomalies

Customs fixer Mark Taguba on Friday apologized to President Rodrigo Duterte’s family, reiterating that his knowledge of the alleged involvement of Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and lawyer Manases Carpio to the “Davao Group” is mere “hearsay.”

In a statement sent by his lawyer Raymond Fortun, Taguba said he never testified on the supposed involvement of Paolo and Carpio to the shipment of illegal drugs nor the “tara” system at the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

“I am making this statement to clear Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and Atty. Mans Carpio of any involvement in the shipment of illegal drugs into the country, and any anomalies in the Bureau of Customs,” Taguba said.

“I also hereby apologize to Vice Mayor Duterte, Atty. Carpio and to the first family for the proliferation of fake news arising out of my testimony at the Senate yesterday,” he added.

The names of Paolo and Carpio, Duterte’s son and son-in-law, respectively, were mentioned at the Senate blue ribbon committee probe on the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of illegal drugs last May.

Taguba served as the broker of the shipment, although he has denied that he knew that the cargo contained more than 600 kilograms of shabu.

Taguba said he transacted with the Davao Group of “Tita Nanie,” “Jack,” and “Small.” Small was later identified by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV as Davao City councilor Nilo “Small” Abellera, Jr.

The said group, Taguba said, collected bribes in exchange for the facilitation of shipments out of the BOC without being alerted.

‘Unforced testimony on text messages’

Sought for comment, Trillanes downplayed Taguba's statement, saying the fixer wasn't forced to present before the Senate committee the text messages that supposedly contained Paolo Duterte and Mans Carpio's names.

“I can only imagine the pressure being applied on Mr. Taguba right now. But the hearing yesterday was seen on national TV so the public knows what he said or did not say,” Trillanes said.

“The text messages he read aloud which named Paolo Duterte and Mans Carpio were never forced on him and neither were they fabricated. Therefore, Mr. Taguba's clarification doesn't change anything,” he added.

Trillanes said the effect of Taguba’s statement was "no different from Kian Delos Santos' parents doing the fist salute with Duterte.”

On Thursday, Trillanes again asked Taguba to read the exchange of text messages between him and 'Tita Nanie.'

In one of the messages, Tita Nanie mentioned the names “Paolo” and “Pulong,” the vice mayor’s nickname. The said message in January said Jack will “arrange a meeting” with Paolo.

Taguba said he met Abellera in a restaurant in Davao City, to personally pay/hand over a P5-million “enrollment fee.”

Trillanes also asked Taguba about a text message he received from 'Tita Nanie' on March 17. The text message mentioned a certain “Mance.”

“Sino yung Mance?” Trillanes asked Taguba during the hearing, to which Taguba said: “Yung Mance po, ito yung asawa ni Mayor Sara [Duterte].”

When asked why Taguba mentioned the name of Carpio, he said: “Nababanggit lang po nila sa’kin.” “Yun ang sabi nila,” Taguba added when asked by Trillanes if Carpio is behind the Davao Group.

In his statement, Taguba reiterated that he never met Paolo nor Carpio.

“As I had repeatedly stated before Congress and the Senate, the alleged involvement of the aforementioned individuals are hearsay in nature,” Taguba said.

“At no time have I met either Vice Mayor Duterte or Atty. Carpio in person, much less discuss any illegal transaction at the Bureau of Customs with them” he added.

Trillanes has requested the blue ribbon committee to invite both Paolo and Carpio to the hearing. The committee chairman, Senator Richard Gordon, however is not inclined to invite the two, saying the allegations against them are hearsay and not backed by proof. —KBK/KVD/NB, GMA News