Quad-comm wants closer scrutiny of Davao City dad
MEMBERS of the House quad-committee wanted to dig deeper on the involvement of Davao City First District Councilor Nilo “Small” Abellara Jr. to the reported massive illegal drug importation.
In a statement, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, a member of the quad-comm, said he believes the testimony of Jimmy Guban, stating that Abellara is a business partner of Michael Yang, a former presidential adviser on economic affairs of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte.
“I know councilor Small Abellera is very close to the personalities mentioned. It is important to invite him in the next hearing,” Pimentel said.
In his testimony, a former customs intelligence officer has implicated Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband, Atty: Manases “Mans” Carpio and Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, and Yang in the smuggling of P11 billion worth of shabu hidden in magnetic lifters discovered at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in 2018.
Guban testified before congressional committees called the Quadcomm and confirmed his affidavit naming Abellera as the conduit for Duterte, Carpio and Yang who wanted the Customs intelligence section to turn a blind eye to their shipments that mostly contained “palaman,” slang for illegal drug shipments disguised as importations of agricultural products like sugar, rice and vegetables.
The quad committee is investigating alleged links between Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), the illegal drug trade and extrajudicial killings (EJKs) tied to the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.”
In his affidavit, Guban stated that Abellera introduced him to the smuggling operation in early 2017.
Abellera described himself as the “business partner and trusted man” of Congressman Duterte, Carpio and Yang, Guban added.
Guban narrated that in early 2018 he was introduced to Abellera by a certain Henry, a Chinese importer of various goods who is a known fixer at the bureau. Abellera told him that he is the business partner and trusted man of Yang, Duterte and Carpio and requested that he “not be so strict with their shipments.”
Upon questioning by Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, Guban clarified that not being strict actually meant not looking into the shipments at all and turning a blind eye on the importations.
Guban further narrated that between the months of May and June 2018 Col. Eduardo Acierto of the Philippine National Police shared an intelligence report about a forthcoming shipment of illegal drugs consigned to Vecaba Trading owned by Vedasto Cabral Baraquel, Jr. and his live-in partner Maria Lagrimas A. Catipan. They were identified as dummies of Calapan-based importer Poney Chen.
Vecaba Trading was not an accredited importer but Poney Chen assured Guban that “wag ikaw matakot kasi sila Mans Carpio, Polong Duterte at Michael Yang ang may-ari ng shipment.”
On August 7, 2018, Customs intelligence agents nonetheless opened the shipment containing two magnetic lifters that caught the attention of the Senate after it was established that P11 billion (earlier estimated at P6.8 billion) worth of “shabu” were smuggled into the country through the Manila International Container Port using those lifters.
The head chairman of the quad-comm, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said they will summon in the hearing all the personalities mentioned by Guban.
For Barbers, the testimony of Guban has significance in the alleged connections of the illegal drugs and proliferation of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
“Well there’s a revelation na may drugs that were in the magnetic lifter that was a subject of the investigation sa House and Senate noong 2018. Meron palang nagpapalusot. Yun ang significance, at yung mga taong nasa likod na nagpapalusot,” Barbers said.
“He never thought twice in saying kung sino yung mga iyan, contrary to his previous statement sa Senate Blue Ribbon committee,” he added.
Barbers said that in the next hearing, they are expecting more revelations that will complete the puzzle and will substantiate the story of Guban.