In a significant development in the ongoing legal battle against drug smuggling, former senator and current Caloocan City mayoralty candidate Antonio Trillanes IV has submitted a supplemental affidavit to the Department of Justice in Manila. This move aims to strengthen the charges he previously filed against Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte, former Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon, and lawyer Mans Carpio, among others, related to the seizure of a PHP6.4-billion shabu shipment in Valenzuela City back in 2017.
Trillanes, who appeared before the Department of Justice on Monday, February 24, 2025, emphasized the importance of the new evidence in his case. He revealed that the additional evidence was gathered from the hearings of the House of Representatives quad committee (quadcom). According to Trillanes, a key testimony came from Mark Taguba, who admitted during the hearings to providing protection money to Paolo Duterte, also known as Pulong Duterte, and being selected to import the shabu.
“We heard in the quadcom hearing that Mark Taguba said he gave money for protection to Pulong Duterte and that he was chosen to import this [shipment of] shabu. So, ultimately it leads to Mr. Pulong Duterte,” Trillanes stated. He further explained that the evidence used to convict Taguba, along with the affidavits from Taguba and former customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban, would reinforce and validate Duterte’s involvement in the drug smuggling operation.
The legal proceedings against Taguba and his co-accused, Eirene Mae Tatad and Dong Yi Shen (alias Kenneth Dong), culminated in a 37-page decision by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 on November 18, 2024. The court found them guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violating Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
The shabu shipment in question was discovered on May 26, 2017, when agents from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency raided warehouses in Valenzuela City, uncovering 605 kilos of shabu. The shipment had managed to bypass the BOC’s alert system and was directed to the “green lane,” where imported goods typically do not undergo physical inspection or document verification, highlighting significant lapses in the customs process.
Trillanes’s latest move to file a supplemental affidavit underscores his determination to pursue justice in this high-profile case, which has significant implications for the political landscape and the fight against drug trafficking in the Philippines. The additional evidence presented by Trillanes could potentially lead to further investigations and legal actions against those implicated in the drug smuggling scandal.