Consignee of P6.4B shabu shipment surrenders in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY, Philippines —The consignee of the shipment of more than 600 kilos of shabu, worth P6.4 billion, seized in Valenzuela City in May last year, voluntarily in Iloilo to the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation yesterday morning.

NBI-6 Regional Director Max Salvador said NBI personnel from the main office spearheaded the surrender of Eirene May Tatad, owner of EMT Trading, who was immediately brought to the Iloilo airport on the way to the NBI main office in Manila.

Tatad's company, EMT Trading, was the consignee of the controversial shabu shipment from China, which slipped through Customs inspection until its seizure.

The 604-kilo of shabu shipment was discovered on May 26, last year following a raid by Customs and NBI personnel at Hongfei Logistics warehouse in Valenzuela City.

Tatad, a licensed teacher, revealed during the congressional hearings that she worked with Customs broker and alleged fixer Mark Taguba in exchange for a P1,500 fee per container.

"They (NBI from Manila) just coordinated with us (NBI-6). We just provided augmentation personnel," Salvador said in a telephone interview, after Tatad's surrender.

NBI personnel from Metro Manila arrived in Iloilo on Thursday, then proceeded to Janiuay, a town 34 kilometers from Iloilo City, where the supposed meet up between NBI operatives and Tatad took place.

"I believe hindi siya sa bahay pinuntahan. They met at a certain place. She (Tatad) was accompanied by a sibling," Salvador said.

After the surrender, NBI personnel and Tatad directly went to the Iloilo International Airport in nearby Cabatuan town and left around 10 a.m. for Manila.

Aside from Tatad, the court also ordered the arrests of Taguba, Li Guang Feng alias Manny Li, Dong Yi Shen Xi alias Kenneth Dong, Teejan Marcellana, Taiwanese Chen I-Min and Jhu Ming Jhyun, and Chen Rong Juan.

Taguba already surrendered to the NBI. Li, Dong and Taguba are facing a separate complaint for unauthorized practice of Customs broker profession under Section 28 of RA 9280 (Customs Brokers Act of 2004).