(Eagle News) –President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the arrest of a customs intelligence officer supposedly linked to the P6.8 billion shabu shipment that had recently allegedly slipped past the Bureau of Customs.
The President gave the directive for the Philippine National Police to arrest Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban amid an inquiry done by the House of Representatives to look into the alleged smuggling of the P6.8 billion of shabu that recently got past the BOC.
Duterte said he had asked PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde to arrest Guban as soon as the House hearing is finished.
“Tell me who is this guy asking for money, extortion. I will call him here, I’ll have him arrested. Kaya si Guban pinapa-aresto ko,” Duterte said Wednesday.
“Sabi ko (I said), right after the session you arrest him,” he said.
Duterte said Albayalde had asked him on what grounds, he would arrest Guban.
Duterte said to just arrest Guban and directed Albayalde to bring him to the NBI.
“Bring him to the NBI. Huwag kayo. Tawagan mo nga kung naaresto na. Naaresto na? (Make a call to ask if he had been arrested already? Has he been arrested?)” said Duterte while making a speech in Malacanang on Wednesday, Oct. 24.
Duterte said that Guban is involved in the facilitation of the entry of illegal drugs into the country through the customs bureau.
“Siya ang nagpapasok. Siya ang nag-fake ng ID,” he said of Guban.
Guban had earlier admitted that he had received P10,000 to find the consignee-for-hire for the magnetic lifters that were reported later to have contained illegal drugs.
Later, Duterte said Albayalde had told him Guban could not be arrested yet because he is still under the custody of the Senate.
The Senate last month had cited Guban in contempt for allegedly telling lies during a senate inquiry into the shabu smuggling.
Senator Richard Gordon had then ordered Guban to be detained by the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms.
