Duterte: Shabu in magnetic lifters ‘pure speculation’

MANILA, Philippines — It is mere “speculation” that P6.8 billion worth of shabu has been released in the streets, President Duterte said yesterday following reports that such shipment slipped past the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) last week seized four magnetic lifters believed to have contained about a ton of shabu at a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite.

Drug-sniffing dogs detected traces of narcotics in the empty magnetic lifters.

But the President said this was “pure speculation.”

“There was nothing there. They presumed it was filled with shabu and made assumption on the prices,” Duterte said at the launch of Pilipinas Angat Lahat Alliance at Malacañang last night. “You do not go into speculative content. You must be very sure that you have the goods.”

Duterte told BOC and PDEA to do their jobs and “better luck next time.”

Citing information from foreign counterparts, Duterte said there is a radical change in the landscape of shabu operations. Syndicates no longer manufacture shabu in big clandestine laboratories.

Duterte attributed the “change” to his strict policies.

“There’s no more shabu laboratory here because they know that if we meet in one corner, I’ll just kill them. They know that,” he said.

House probe

During the inquiry of the House committee on dangerous drugs yesterday, Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña defended BOC officials from allegations that they have been remiss in their duties.

Lapeña told lawmakers that the four magnetic lifters that the PDEA claimed were filled with P6.8 billion worth of shabu “tested negative” for illegal drugs.

He pointed out that the aluminum foil found in the warehouse and swabbed “yielded negative results for the presence of dangerous drugs.”

“Based on the result of the laboratory analysis both from PDEA and the Philippine National Police, the four magnetic lifters have no presence of dangerous drugs,” he said.

“As government authorities, we have to be prudent in providing unverified information to the general public to allay further fear or confusion,” he added.

However, PDEA deputy director Ruel Lasala disputed Lapeña’s claim.

He noted that the four magnetic lifters had traces of shabu because drug-sniffing dogs sat on the equipment, signifying that there were dangerous drugs in them.

In a statement yesterday, Manila International Container Port (MICP) district collector Vener Baquiran said based on the result of backtracking investigation, the alleged shabu shipment passed through the red lane and went through the x-ray machine inspection, but no shabu was detected in the magnetic lifters.

He also explained that the importation documents for the four magnetic lifters that reportedly contained a ton of smuggled shabu did not reach his office as it went through the proper process and there was no need for him to intervene.

Baquiran made the comment yesterday after Lapeña recommended that he be relieved due to the ton of shabu that slipped past MICP.

Baquiran also explained that if there was a dispute on the valuation, classification or rules of origin, the issue would be elevated to the appraiser, chief of the Formal Entry Division, deputy collector for assessment and lastly to the port’s district collector.

“In this particular shipment there was no dispute, hence, the district collector has no intervention in the processing of the documents,” Baquiran added.

The shipment underwent x-ray examination last July 14 at 7:36 a.m. and the results yielded “no suspect,” meaning there was no suspicious image found and the shipment was cleared for release.

“This finding shows that the drug syndicates may have already found a sophisticated scheme to avoid detection by the BOC’s X-ray machine by using x-ray proof container for illegal drugs,” he added.

Baquiran also reiterated that the BOC is committed to the Duterte administration’s war against illegal drugs.

“We will continue to intensify our coordination with other law enforcement agencies to prevent the use of our ports in bringing illegal drugs into our country,” he added.

Lapeña is still awaiting the answer of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III regarding the recommendation to replace Baquiran.

Meanwhile, Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, a former police general, moved for the issuance of a subpoena to PDEA director-general Aaron Aquino for him to attend the next hearing of the House committee on dangerous drugs.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the committee, approved the issuance of subpoena.

During the hearing, Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay party-list also proposed the establishment of a “compulsory pre-shipment inspection of imports” from the country of origin. He believes it will “end the large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs” in the country’s ports.

“We’ve thrown everything at the problem of endemic Customs corruption. We’ve offered them rewards. We’ve provided them with all the equipment and technology to detect contraband. We’ve even assigned our toughest retired generals there,” Atienza said.

“The BOC is simply beyond repair and redemption. Thus, the only solution left, short of abolishing the bureau altogether, is pre-shipment inspection,” he added.

Atienza is author of House Bill 6220, which calls for “the compulsory advance clearance” of all foreign cargoes headed for the Philippines.

Under the bill, the exact nature of all Philippine-bound commodities, to include their quality, quantity and prices, would have to be checked and verified at the country of origin, before the goods are put in containers and loaded onto ships.

“Pre-shipment inspection benefits everybody, except the corrupt. Government will collect higher duties. Legitimate importers will avoid costly product defects and get their shipments faster without having to haggle with fixers,” Atienza said.

The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. – With Delon Porcalla, Evelyn Macairan