MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives’ quad committee has recommended a deeper investigation into the alleged drug ties of Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte and his allies.
“Moreover, further investigation should be conducted against, but not limited to, the following individuals: Personalities implicated in the illegal drug trade in relation to the revelations provided by resource persons Jimmy Guban and Mark Taguba – Representative Paolo Duterte, Nilo Abellera Jr., Paul Gutierrez, Benny Antiporda, Jojo Bacud, Tita Nanie and Allen Capuyan,” quad committee co-chair and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Ace Barbers said in the panel’s report on Wednesday, December 18.
Rappler has already reached out to Duterte’s staff for comment. We will update this story once he responds.
The quad committee’s report, which came after months of hearings, is the result of its inquiry into the proliferation of illegal drugs, operations of Chinese syndicates, spate of extrajudicial killings, and rise of Philippine offshore gaming operators.
The mega-panel’s recommendation on the younger Duterte was more diluted compared to quad comm’s findings against the congressman’s father. The same report stated that former president Rodrigo Duterte should be charged for crimes against humanity over the killings of about 30,000 people under his drug war.
The former president’s trusted men, Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Bong Go, were also implicated in the report.
During the quad committee’s first hearing in August, former customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban accused the younger Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband Mans Carpio, and former economic adviser Yang of involvement in illegal drug importation. Guban claimed that the three owned the magnetic lifters which concealed P11-billion worth of illegal drugs that were seized in Cavite back in 2018.
Duterte earlier already denied Guban’s claims.
Another witness, alleged customs broker Mark Taguba, also claimed during the hearings that he was framed for drug smuggling by the so-called “Davao Group” composed of Duterte, Carpio, Yang, and others.
In July, a month before the quad comm hearings began, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV filed a drug smuggling complaint against the younger Duterte and Carpio. Trillanes tagged Duterte and Carpio in the P6.4-billion shabu haul in Valenzuela City in 2017, through Taguba’s testimony. – Rappler.com
