Porsche-driving customs clerk surfaces, but questions remain

A Customs clerk facing a lifestyle check and an investigation for driving an expensive sports car and allegedly beating up two youths last January broke his silence and showed up at the Bureau of Customs in Manila Tuesday.

 

But Paulino Elevado refused to talk about the incident where he and a companion allegedly roughed up the two youths, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.

 

Elevado presented himself to Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon Tuesday, after Biazon gave him an ultimatum to show himself.

 

"He rode a taxi going to BOC," Biazon said on his Twitter account.

 

Biazon said Elevado was not placed under arrest as he was "ordered released by the fiscal." 

 

He did not elaborate.

 

The dzBB report said Elevado declined to talk on the matter except that he is ready to face the accusations against him.

 

Elevado also insisted the Porsche sports car he was driving at the time of the incident was not his. Last January, Elevado and a companion identified as Florencio Bato were caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, riding a Porsche sports car and chasing a Toyota Innova driven by the victim.

 

When they caught up with the victim, they beat him and his companion up. The victims escaped when Elevado returned to his vehicle to reportedly get his firearm.

 

Elevado 'selectively' aired side of story

 

For his part, Biazon said Elevado contacted him via text and conveyed his desire to explain his side of the story.

 

But Biazon, in a statement posted on his site, noted Elevado "selectively" gave his side of the story, claiming the right to remain silent about certain matters on the advise of his counsel.

 

He added Elevado's lawyer, Jeff Sarate, was not present when Elevado was interviewed.

 

Biazon said Elevado will now be assigned to the Human Resource Department to do actual messengerial and clerical work while the investigation is ongoing.

 

"I have instructed the appropriate office in the BOC to prepare any and all charges we can file against him under existing laws and regulations applicable to the situation," he reiterated.

 

"As I have stated from the beginning, I will not spare Mr. Elevado from the rightful and legal penalty that he deserves. He has undermined my efforts to reform the Bureau of Customs and has tarnished the name of each and every employee and official of the agency. He offended people who are personally known to me as well as offended society which has been expecting government personnel to be true public servants instead of abusing the authority vested in them," he added.

 

At this point, Biazon said he is hoping that the criminal aspect of his case will be pursued not just by the family he and his companion offended, but also by the other appropriate government agencies who can and are mandated to enforce the law. — RSJ, GMA News