Press Release
September 7, 2017

Transcript of Sen. Bam's questions during Senate hearing on P6.4B shabu shipment

Topic: Corruption in the Davao Port

Sen. Bam: Mahirap ihiwalay ang TARA at shabu. I don't think the people here intended to let the shabu in. Pero dahil sa TARA, nakalusot po iyon at nakapasok sa ating bansa. So, kaya siguro bumabalik tayo sa TARA, bumabalik sa shabu, mahirap talagang ihiwalay in this particular case. Now my first set of questions is for Atty. Mandy.

Atty. Mandy, magandang umaga. Sa inyo pong time as chief of staff ni Commissioner Faeldon, mayroon pong mga grupo na binanggit si Senator Lacson na mga big players sa customs. He named five groups - the Teves group, the Tan group, the Santos group, the Kimberly Gamboa group, and the Davao group. At meron siyang isang pinangalanan dun na Charlie Tan, in the Davao group. I have here the names- meron ditong 44 names na itinatawag na bride-givers, or players at the Bureau of Customs. Are you familiar with the privilege speech of Senator Lacson?

Atty. Mandy: Yes, your honor.

Sen. Bam: Alright, so hindi ko na kailangan banggitin isa-isa.

Atty. Mandy: No need, your honor.

Sen. Bam: At alam mo namang may limang grupo siyang ibinanggit. Dun sa limang grupong iyon, meron ba at any time na nagpahiwatig, nagparamdam, nagpakilala, sa inyong opisina kay Comissioner Faeldon?

Atty. Mandy: Only one.. two groups. Two groups, your honor.

Sen. Bam: Sige po. Paki-state sa atin.

Atty. Mandy: The- I actually met Kimberly.. Kimberly Gamboa once in my office. And for the Davao Group, there was one person who came to the office early... early during the term of the Commissioner.

Sen. Bam: Okay. Sino po iyon? Was it Charlie Tan? Was it Tita Nany?

Atty. Manny: No, it was no.. it was a BOC employee, I can't remember his name, your honor.

Sen. Bam: You can't remember?

Atty. Manny: I can't remember... I was still...

Sen. Bam: Alright, but in short, dalawa sa limang grupo na binaggit ni Sen. Lacson, nagparamdam sa inyong opisina. Hindi ko po itinatanong kung may ginawa kayong transaction sa kanila, pero meron pong dalawang grupong nagparamdam. This is the Kimberly Gamboa group? Sismo yung nagpakita sa inyo?

Atty. Mandy: Yes, I think it was her.

Sen. Bam: It's her. May nagpakilala na Kimberly sa inyo.

Atty. Mandy: Yes, your honor.

Sen. Bam: Okay, at isang unnamed BOC employee na nagpakilala bilang miyembro ng Davao group.

Atty. Mandy: Yes it was one time, your honor, I think August of last year.

Sen. Bam: Paano nagpakilala si Kimberly at yung empleyadong ito sa inyo? Was it through you or through Commissioner Faeldon?

Atty. Mandy: Kim Gamboa came to the office asking for a meeting with the Commissioner regarding a shipment she had of plywood that was put on hold by our former OIC Deputy Commissioner Arnel Alcaraz at that time. I'm not sure if it was plywood. Sorry, it was not alerted. It was put on hold by our former OIC Deputy Commissioner of the enforcement groups. He- Deputy Commissioner Arnel Alcaraz, at the time. So, I'm not sure if it was plywood. Don't quote me on that. Off the record. So...

Sen. Bam: Let the records show that the resource person is unsure of the content.

Atty. Mandy: Unsure. If- it was either tiles or plywood. So, at that time she was trying to meet with the Commissioner to try to explain that her shipment was actually not alertable and to complain that her shipment was put on hold without an alert order.

Sen. Bam: Okay so in short nakikiuusap na may ipasok na container.

Atty. Mandy: Yes, your honor.

Sen. Bam: Alright. Yung unnamed BOC employee, ano naman yung pagpapahiwatig niya sa inyo?

Atty. Mandy: The unnamed BOC employee just came to my office regarding the 60 plus shipments which were alerted by the Commissioner at the start of his term. He asked me if I could help him and then he showed me a text message from a certain Mans. But I told him, "I don't care", and I told him to leave my office.

Sen. Bam: To be fair, certain Mans. Wala namang tinutukoy si Atty. Carpio or anyone. To be fair.

Atty. Mandy: Yes, I don't know.

Sen. Bam: Okay, so may ipinakita siyang text message sa iyo, nanggaling from a certain Mans, nagsasabi magpasok ng 60 containters.

Atty. Mandy: To lift the- tulungan to lift the shipment.

Sen. Bam: Ano nangyari sa 60 containers na iyon? Naipasok ba siya or nacheck ba siya?

Atty. Mandy: The last thing I heard about those 60 containers was that the district collector issued a WSD.

Sen. Bam: What is that?

Atty. Mandy: Warrant of seizure and detention. Because there was a misdeclaration.

Sen. Bam: Alright. So in short, di naman nakapasok yung 60 na yun. Nacheck siya?

Atty. Mandy: I wouldn't know your honor, that would be for the district collector to answer.

Sen. Bam: Commisioner La Pena, would we be able to find out? Maitutukoy naman ni Atty. Mandy kung ano yung 60 containers, ano yung panahon na iyon, ano yung mga circumstances around those 60 containers? Maitutukoy niyo po iyan?

Atty. Mandy: Your honor the command center would have a file of that.

Sen. Bam: Either Commissioner La Pena, or- Captain Gambala, are you still in the command center or nagresign na kayo?

Gambala: The command center was already deactivated.

Sen. Bam: Deactivated. But are you still in the BOC or nagresign pa rin kayo?

Gambala: Yes, as Deputy Commissioner of MISTG sir.

Sen. Bam: Nandiyan pa rin kayo? Alright. Gusto po naming malaman sa kumite kung ano yung nangyari sa 60 containers na yun. Would you be able to find out?

Gambala: Yes sir. I'll find out the date sir if- because according to Atty. Mandy it was early, around June, and the command center was created September, so...

Sen. Bam: Okay, pero may files naman kayo?

Gambala: I'll try to look at it, sir.

Sen. Bam: Alright. Pero pwede niyo bang mahanap yan? Maybe you can ask some of your staff in the back. Kasi gusto natin malaman, mahalaga kung pumasok nga ba ito o hindi.

Gambala: Yes sir, yes sir.

Sen. Bam: Mahalaga na malaman natin- ano ba talaga nangyari sa sa containers na yan. Alright. So in short, Atty. Mandy, dalawang grupong nagpahiwatig sa inyo, two of the five na ibinanggit ni Senator Lacson, are real. Totoo yan. At least may confirmation tayo na two of the five are- may physical people na humarap sa inyo. Tama po?

Atty. Mandy: For the Davao group, he just said- 'containters 'to ng Davao group'. I don't know if he was a member of the Davao group.

Sen. Bam: Yes, in short, so far, ang masasabi natin, may gumagamit ng pangalan na Davao Group.

Atty. Mandy: For sure, your honor. Meron.

Sen. Bam: Mamaya I want to go to Charlie Tan, because in Sen Lacson's expose, it was Charlie Tan of Davao Group.

Sen. Pimentel: With the permission of Senator Aquino, Mr. Chairman. This is to pursue- are you good with faces, Atty. Mandy?

Atty. Mandy: Yes I am.

Sen. Pimentel: So you don't know the name of this person. But, can you identify him when you see him again?

Atty. Mandy: Yes, your honor.

Sen. Pimentel: So, that should be easy. And you say that he is a BOC employee?

Atty. Mandy: Yes, your honor.

Sen. Pimentel: So--

Sen. Bam: Please identify this person- may booklet ba kayo ng mga empleyado, Commissioner La Pena?

Comm. Lapena: Yes, your honor.

Sen. Bam: Alright. We will instruct Atty. Mandy to go over the - maybe the Secretariat can assist her? Can we have her go over the faces of the employees para matukoy natin kung sino ito?

Secretariat: Yes, your honor.

Sen. Bam: Alright. My next question-

Sen. Lacson: Mr. Chairman, baka puwede nang isama na si Jema Castillo dun sa iidentify?

Sen. Bam: Oh, sige po. Si Jema Castillo - yung pangalan doon? Physically ba nagkita kayo, Mark, ni Jema Castillo? Nagharap ba kayo o sa text lang?

Mark Taguba: Nagharap po kami.

Sen. Bam: So malalaman mo rin kung sino si Jema Castillo sa mga photos.

Mark Taguba: Yes, your honor.

Sen. Bam: Alright, sige. So, Mr. Chairman, can we ask the Secretariat to facilitate the identification of this certain BOC employee and Gema Castillo?

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Sen. Bam: And Chairman, once we find that unnamed BOC official that showed the text message to Atty. Mandy, I wish we can invite him here also para magpaliwanag siya sa kaniyang text message.

Sen. Gordon: So ordered.

Sen. Bam: Alright. My questions are for Atty. Carpio. Yung kliente po ninyo ay si Mr. Reta. Is that correct?

Atty. Carpio: Yes, Mr. Chair.

Sen. Bam: Okay. And, I'm familiar with the case of Mr. Reta. Baka pwede niyo po iexplain kung ano yung kwento ni Mr. Reta, kasi I know the group who has been supporting him in Davao have tried to support him way back, years back. So baka quickly pwede niyo ikwento kung ano po yung case ni Mr. Reta.

Atty. Carpio: Mr. Chair, actually, I've already asked permission kasi lawyer-client privilege. Pero Mr. Reta, allowed me to speak. The case involves, matagal na po ito, with regards the designated examination area, wherein papasok yung mga containers, ichecheck nila. And there was one incident wherein mayroong mga containers, naka-declare ata parang, construction materials ba iyon or what, na-alert. So sabi niya, kailangang i-check iyan. Ang nangyari, hindi na-check, hindi na-strip, hindi na-open pinalabas po ng Customs officials.

Sen. Bam: This is in the Davao port?

Atty. Carpio: Yes Mr. Chair. Naging crusade po ni Mr. Reta na i-expose ang anomaly sa Davao and he approached me, since sa Davao po, wala siyang puwedeng lapitan para hindi masira ang image ng Davao City.

Sen. Bam: In fact, you also approached members of Ateneo de Davao and other NGOs, if I'm not mistaken. So ang crusade ni Mr. Reta, ibukas ang x-ray machines para ma-check ang pumapasok na shipment mula sa Davao port. Is that correct?

Atty. Carpio: Yes Mr. Chair.

Sen. Bam: Iyon ba ang rason kung bakit ka pumunta kay Commissioner Faeldon?

Atty. Carpio: Mr. chair I went to Commissioner Faeldon to explain to him kasi bago lang po siya nakaupo noon, the details, kasi I don't think he's familiar. In fact, Atty. Mandy was also there. She took notes, the records will show. I was with Mr. Reta.

Sen. Bam: Atty. Mandy ito nga ba iyong topic of conversation ni Atty. Carpio at Commissioner Faeldon.

Atty. Anderson: Your honor I was not part of that meeting. It was another executive assistant of the commissioner. Before they started their meeting, I stepped out.

Sen. Bam: Atty. Carpio...

Atty. Carpio: She was there pero lumabas po...

Atty. Anderson: I saw him at the office.

Sen. Bam: In any case, another executive assistant was there. Who is that?

Atty. Mandy: At that time, your honor, it was Vivian Tan. But we got the minutes from that meeting.

Sen. Bam: Iyon nga ba ang napag-usapan?

Atty. Mandy: Yes your honor.

Sen. Bam: Atty. Carpio, gusto ko lang tanungin, may nangyari ba pagkatapos ng meeting na iyon? It seems like a reasonable request, gamitin itong P250 million x-ray machines para pagpasok ng container sa Davao port, na-che-check siya. Anyway, nabili na iyan ng Customs. Nagamit ba iyon o hindi? Ginagamit ba iyon o hindi?

Atty. Carpio: Unfortunately, Mr. Chair hindi pa ho nagagamit...

Sen. Bam: May x-ray machine sa Davao port and yet hindi iyon nagagamit. Is that correct?

Atty. Carpio: Yes Mr. chair.

Sen. Bam: You had gone to commissioner Faeldon na gamitin na ito at iyon ang krusada ni Mr. Reta.

Atty. Carpio: If it's possible Mr. chair. It's already pending before the courts. It's within the Supreme Court. We believe that there's a need that these DEA should be used as security sa Davao port.

Sen. Bam: Gusto ko lang tanungin. Iyong Davao port. May mga issues tayo sa Davao port. Iyang case ni Mr. Reta, ilang taon na iyan na mayroong talagang nakikitang irregularities at anomalies sa Davao port.

Atty. Carpio: Actually, Mr. chair the issue pumasok year 2010 iyan.

Sen. Bam: For the last 7 years, may mga issues sa Davao port na ikaw na mismo naging abogado ng tao na nagta-try na ayusin iyan? Is that correct?

Atty. Carpio: Actually Mr. chair, collaborating counsel. Marami po kaming counsel.

Sen. Bam: Itong issue natin sa Davao port, lumalabas ba ang pangalan ni Charlie Tan sa mga isyu sa Davao port?

Atty. Carpio: I have no knowledge po.

Sen. Bam: Hindi mo rin kilala si Charlie Tan?

Atty. Carpio: Kilala ko po si Charlie Tan.

Sen. Bam: Ano ang pagkakakilala mo sa kanya?

Atty. Carpio: Businessman po siya. May nightclub and he's engaged in seafood...

Sen. Bam: For the record, may alam ka ba kay Charlie Tan at sa gawain sa port?

Atty. Carpio: I have no knowledge.

Sen. Bam: Only because si Charlie Tan, paulit-ulit lumalabas ang pangalan. Lumabas ang pangalan kay Lascanas, lumabas iyong pangalan sa privilege speech ni Sen. Lacson. Gusto nating malaman kung ano ba talaga ang ginagawa ni Charlie sa port. Mr. Dong, kaibigan niyo rin si Charlie Tan?

Dong: Yes po.

Sen. Bam: Ano ang pagkakakilala mo kay Charlie Tan?

Dong: Charlie Tan is a legitimate businessman in Davao.

I've known him for almost 10 years. Never pa kami nagkaroon ng any transaction.

Sen. Bam: Wala kayong business dealings but personally, magkaibigan kayo?

Dong: Yes po.

Sen. Bam: Tanungin na rin kita Kenneth. Iyong mga napapangalanan na Tita Nani at Jack, kilala mo ba iyon?

Dong: Wala po akong kilala kahit sinong contact ni Mr. Mark Taguba sa Customs.

Sen. Bam: Mark kilala mo ba si Charlie Tan?

Mark: Hindi po your honor.

Sen. Bam: Nabanggit ba siya ni Tita Nani at ni Jack, to be fair lang?

Mark: Yes your honor.

Sen. Bam: Nababanggit siya?

Mark: Nababanggit lang po.

Sen. Bam: Ano ang pagkabanggit ni Tita Nani at ni Jack kay Charlie Tan?

Mark: Nabanggit siya sa hearing dati, iyong kay Jack Lam.

Sen. Bam: Jack Lam?

Mark: Iyon pong hearing ata.

Sen. Bam: We can check with the records Mr. chairman if he was mentioned in the Jack Lam. I don't recall him being mentioned. But binabanggit siya ni Jack o ni Tita Nani?

Mark: Binabanggit po siya.

Sen. Bam: Silang dalawa o isa lang sa kanila?

Mark: Si Tita Nani po.

Sen. Bam: Nababanggit ni Tita Nani. Na-identify na ba natin si Tita Nani. Mr. chairman, have we identified the identity of Tita Nani?

Sen. Gordon: NBI. I gave it to the NBI to check...

NBI: As a result of the investigation of the NBI, we request our clearance section if indeed a certain Nani Cabato applied for an NBI clearance together with Jojo Bacud and we found out that they have not applied for any NBI clearance. I suppose your honor that this is just a name given by Nani. This is not real name.

Sen. Bam: Mamumukhaan mo naman si Tita Nani?

Mark: Yes your honor.

Sen. Bam: Kung maipakita ni Director iyan sa iyo, you could possible identify kung iyan nga si Tita Nani.

Mark: Yes your honor.

Sen. Bam: Have we identified who Jack is?

NBI: Up to now your honor, our investigator has not established any whereabouts of a certain Jack given the opportunity to obtain his surname, we can...

Sen. Bam: Mark, si Jack ba ay empleyado ng BOC. Was there any indication na empleyado siya ng BOC.

Mark: No your honor.

Sen. Bam: Definitely, si Tita Nani at si Jack, hindi empleyado ng BOC.

Mark: Hindi your honor.

Sen. Bam: Mayroon ka bang naka-transact na empleyado ng BOC na hindi pa nababanggit ang pangalan, mga aliases, o iyon lang nabanggit ni Sen. Lacson na pangalan.

Mark: Nabigay ko na po lahat.

Sen. Bam: Si Charlie Tan, nabanggit ni Lascanas, nabanggit ni Sen. Lacson, kaibigan ni Kenneth Dong. Vice Mayor Duterte, sino si Charlie Tan sa inyo.

Duterte: Kaibigan ko po.

Sen. Bam: Anong pagkakakilala mo sa kanya?

Duterte: May-ari ng KTV, may business sa Palawan, mga seafood at mayroon din siyang babuyan. Iyon ang mga negosyo niya. Minsan naman, nag-iinuman kami. Kainuman ko po.

Sen. Bam: More than once na siyang nabanggit dito, sa tingin mo ba posible na may involvement siya sa pagpasok ng mga container sa port or sa tingin mo hindi ito possible sa Charlie Tan na kilala niyo.

Duterte: Your honor. Mr. chair, I think Charlie Tan can best answer that question.

Sen. Bam: Mr. chairman, have we invited Charlie Tan here? Maybe we can invite Charlie Tan so he can answer for himself.

Gordon: We'll do that.

Sen. Bam: Commissioner Lapena, kayo po ay PDEA noon. Just to be fair, in any of your records, mayroon bang Charlie Tan na na-identify niyo, na-investigate ninyo, o nasa watchlist ninyo. At any point, was there a Charlie Tan in the PDEA records?

Lapena: We'll check our record, your honor.

Sen. Bam: In the next hearing, puwede niyo bang banggitin sa amin kung mayroon nga nasa libro niyo na iniimbestigahan na Charlie Tan?

Lapena: Yes your honor.

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