Palace respects Ombudsman order recommending raps vs. Faeldon

Malacañang said Wednesday it respects the recommendation of an Ombudsman panel to indict former Bureau of Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon and several others in connection with the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China that slipped past port inspections in May last year.

Faeldon, now deputy administrator at the Office of Civil Defense, was found by a fact-finding investigating panel liable for graft, usurpation of official function, and to have violated Section 32 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

He may also face an administrative charge for grave misconduct.

The panel is also pushing for criminal and administrative charges against other BOC officials.

"The Palace respects the recent decision of the Ombudsman recommending the filing of charges against former BOC Commissioner [Nicanor] Faeldon et al," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

"Mr. Faeldon, et al will now have their day in court where they can defend themselves in the upcoming preliminary investigation in connection with the incident."

The Palace statement, meanwhile, is silent on the Ombudsman panel's recommendation to drop for lack of basis the charges against former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte, son of President Rodrigo Duterte, and the chief executive's son-in-law, Manases Carpio.

Both Paolo Duterte and Carpio appeared before the Senate blue ribbon committee on September 7 last year in relation to its probe into the shabu shipment.

The two denied the allegation of opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that they were behind the so-called Davao Group, which allegedly collects payments to facilitate the release of shipments.

The President had said he would resign if anyone can present documentary evidence against his son. —NB, GMA News