X-ray images of magnetic lifters showed these had shabu —Customs collector

A deputy collector from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday insisted that the magnetic lifters recovered in a warehouse in Cavite did contain an estimated P6.8 billion worth of shabu as shown by x-ray images, but BOC Commissioner Isidro Lapeña did not take action on the matter.

"Alam niyang (Lapeña) may alam ako, at alam niyang may laman, dahil... binigyan ko siya ng kopya ng X-ray image. Sabi ko, 'Sir, ito po ang klarong image... at kitang-kita po may laman yan.' Binigay ko sa kanya ang kopya," attorney Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, Deputy Collector for Operations and Assistant Project Manager of CMTA PMO, said in an interview with Dobol B sa News TV.

"Yes, alam niya. Sinabi ko sa kanya na may laman pero wala siyang aksyon na ginawa."

Mangaoang showed the X-ray images of the magnetic filters which had cloudy parts, indicating that something was inside the containers.

The images were different from the X-ray scans of another batch of magnetic lifters that came in the country on August 13, which were "very clear" and did not contain cloudy parts.

The attorney further said she went personally to Cavite to examine the containers.

"'Yung X-ray natin kaya niyang mag-penetrate ng 11 inches of steel. Pumunta po ako sa Cavite, mineasure ko ang kapal niya, one and a half inches lang siya. Kitang-kita, kaya nga kitang-kita eh... You don't have to be an expert, you don't have to be an X-ray operator, you, an ordinary person can see (na) may laman 'yan (magnetic lifters)," she said.

GMA News Online is contacting Lapeña for comment as of posting time.

'Wala siyang aksyon'

Despite the evidences, and Mangaoang's suggestion to Lapeña to relieve the personnel involved, the Commissioner went mum about it.

"Pinipilit niya talaga na wala. 'Yun ang statement na ini-issue niya. Pero pinapabayaan niya 'yung mga tao niya na magsalita, sinasabing walang laman, pero siya mismo, nagsasabi na walang laman 'yan despite after the fact na sinabi ko sa kaniya, 'May laman 'yan, sir, imbestigahan mo,'" she said.

"Ito shabu, wala siyang aksyon. Nagtataka ako bakit wala siyang aksyon. Shabu 'yan eh! Bakit wala siyang ni-relieve?" Mangaoang added.

Thus, she said she was convinced that the BOC let the magnetic lifters containing shabu to just slip away. "Noong una, ang tingin ko napalusutan sila. Pero after akong makinig sa mga istorya nila, sa mga kuwento nila, I am convinced, pinalusot ito."

Mangaoang said the X-ray images were also already received by President Rodrigo Duterte through BOC Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Ricardo Aquino.

"At that time na lumabas ito sa media, wala pang ebidensyang napapakita kay Pangulo. Pero ang pagkaka-alam ko in-explain na po ni [Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency] Director General Aaron Aquino kay Pangulo at nagpresenta siya ng mga ebidensya at pati po itong image na ito, nakarating na rin po kay Pangulo. Kaya tahimik si Pangulo ngayon dahil sa totoo lang, ang pagkaka-alam ko din po, alam na ni Pangulo na may laman talaga 'yan," Mangaoang said.

In August, PDEA claimed that P6.8 billion worth of shabu was unloaded from four lifting equipment at a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite. PDEA said the lifters came into the country with the shipment that yielded P4.3 billion worth of shabu at the Manila International Container Port three days earlier.

PDEA raided the warehouse in Barangay F. Reyes after a caretaker informed authorities about the lifters that arrived on June 14. The lifters had reportedly been emptied by the time PDEA operatives got to the warehouse.

No residue of shabu had been found on the lifters but PDEA said K-9 units detected traces of the illegal drug.

Lapeña told the House inquiry on the matter that the magnetic lifters tested negative for dangerous drugs.

Duterte said PDEA's claim was "pure speculation" and no shabu was found in the magnetic lifters. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News