Faeldon not bothered by detention, says lawyer: ‘Once a Marine, always a Marine’

As a former Marine, Captain Nicanor Faeldon is used to roughing it, so detention at the Senate is "nothing" to him, the ex-Customs Commissioner's lawyer said Tuesday.

In a phone interview with reporters on Tuesday, Faeldon's legal counsel Jose Diño stressed that his client was being treated well, and was in "good spirits" when he visited him on his first night at detention.

"When I left him, he is in good spirits, in good fighting spirit. He was fed well, nakapagpahinga naman siya, and what made him very lively is the outpouring of support," Diño said.

He added that a number of senators visited Faeldon, though he declined to name them.

"Hindi na lang namin sasabihin kung sino yung mga dumalaw at nagbigay ng moral support sa kanya," he said.

"Medyo marami-raming mga senador na dumalaw: 'keep it up, give the good fight.' 'Yun po ang nagpalakas sa kanya. He is doing good, maayos ang pag-treat sa kanya doon sa kanyang detention room. We cannot complain."

Diño said that as a former captain of the Philippine Marines, his client is used to tough conditions.

"Let us remember, mga kaibigan, once a Marine, always a Marine. Kumakain 'yan siguro once every four days, natutulog 'yan sa jungle tuwing umuulan at umaaraw. So 'yung Senate detention, to him, that’s nothing. So sabi niya, 'That’s nothing to me. It’s a very small price to pay for a message'," he added.

Faeldon on Monday was detained "indefinitely" at the Senate until he cooperates with the blue ribbon committee probe into the P6.4-billion shabu shipment that slipped past the Bureau of Customs (BOC) under his watch.

Senator Richard Gordon said that Faeldon feels that he will be treated unfairly by Senators Panfilo Lacson and Antonio Trillanes IV, both of whom accused him of being involved in the corruption at the BOC.

Lacson accused Faeldon of receiving a P100-million payoff as a welcome gift shortly after he assumed office in 2016.

Trillanes, on the other hand, said that Faeldon knew about the smuggling activities of the so-called "Davao Group," allegedly being backed by President Rodrigo Duterte's son, Paolo.

'100 percent certain'

Diño also said that he is willing to surrender his bar membership if it is proven that the embattled former Customs chief received bribe money.

"I am willing to surrender my membership to the Philippine bar if a witness comes forward and says, 'I handed personally from my hand to Captain Faeldon’s hand bribe money,' or yung sinasabing P100 million tapos yung sinasabing tara," Diño said.

"Eight hearings na. If they really had, don’t you think those witnesses won't come forward in the glare of radio and TV? Dapat po inilabas na nila 'yan. Wala po silang mailabas kasi alam nila even sa meeting hindi umuupo si Captain Faeldon," he added.

"Because I am 100 percent certain na wala po 'yan. Kung meron man ay 'yan fake witness," Diño said. — BM, GMA News