VP's husband, Polong linked to drug smuggling

A former intelligence officer of the Bureau of Customs yesterday linked Davao City Rep. Paolo “Polong” Duterte to the smuggling of illegal drugs, including P11 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu confiscated in 2018.

- SHEILA CRISOSTOMO

Also implicated by Jimmy Guban during the second joint hearing of the House of Representatives’ so-called quad committee were lawyer Manases Carpio, the husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, and Chinese businessman Michael Yang, who served as economic adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The quad committee is composed of the House panels on dangerous drugs, public order and safety, public accounts and human rights. Among other things, it is pursuing reports that funds from illegal activities of Philippine offshore gaming operators might have been used to reward law enforcers who executed drug suspects in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

Guban arrived at the hearing wearing a bulletproof vest and a prisoner’s orange t-shirt as he has been incarcerated for six years now after he was convicted for his role in the drug smuggling operations.

In his affidavit submitted to the committee, he recalled that in 2017, he was introduced by a Chinese businessman whom he knew only as "Henry" to Davao City Councilor Nilo Abellera Jr., who is also known as "Small." "In the said meeting, Small told me that he is the business partner and trusted man of Michael Yang, Polong Duterte, the son of then president Rodrigo Duterte, and attorney Mans Carpio, the husband of then Davao City mayor Sara Duterte," he said.

Guban claimed that Small told him he was tasked to facilitate the release of shipments.

He said in various incidents, he was requested by Small to relax the processing of the shipments because those were Yang's, Polong's and Mans'.

Citing intelligence reports, he said his team was able to seize magnetic lifters used to conceal billions worth of smuggled shabu at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

PDEA officials earlier estimated that the lifters at the MICP and a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez in Cavite - all were found empty - may have contained shabu valued at P11 billion.