Tuesday, November 11, 2008 Econg ‘not satisfied’ with PASG explanation
REGIONAL Trial Court (RTC) Judge Geraldine Faith-Econg yesterday said she was not satisfied with the explanation of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) 7 on the unaccounted vehicles seized in a raid last April.
“I don’t know. I am more baffled than satisfied. I have more questions,” Econg said after reading an explanation prepared by lawyer Pedro Leslie Salva, representing Ricardo Collantes.
Econg summoned Collantes to explain in court why an inventory of the vehicles raided last April showed that some of the automobiles were cannibalized while two were missing.
Econg issued the search warrant against Song Pa Trading Warehouse at Sacris Road, Mandaue City where 18 South Korean vehicles were seized.
But when the RTC branch 9 clerk of court, lawyer Chevin Vasquez, went to the PASG 7 warehouse, only 16 vehicles were accounted for. Five of the vehicles were locked. Some did not have engines, some lost its tires while others had broken windshields.
Explanation
PASG 7, through Salva, accounted for all vehicles in their explanation to the court.
Salva said there were actually three vehicles placed in a safehouse.
He said what happened was a product of miscommunication. If only Vasquez was able to coordinate with former PASG 7 officials then the “missing” cars would have been inventoried, he said.
Vasquez went to PASG 7 last Nov. 3 to deliver an order to Collantes. But the latter has since resigned, leaving Vasquez without a recipient of the order. Collantes and some other members of PASG 7 left the office following the relief of Supt. Ariel Palcuto as PASG-Cebu head.
To settle the confusion, Econg scheduled an ocular inspection this Wednesday of the 18 cars.
“I will go there personally. Because with one report, I was surprised. With report number two, I’m confused. I want to know who is responsible for the loss (of car parts),” said Econg referring to Vasquez’ report as the first report and the PASG 7 explanation as report number two.
Warning
The judge also warned Salva and Collantes against questioning the procedure if they fail to attend the ocular inspection. She said they will be cited in contempt.
She also ordered lawyer Jessie Capoy, representing Michael Nengasca, the subject of the search warrant, to bring his client to the inspection.
Nengasca, according to the PASG explanation, kept on calling the agency to delay the turnover of the vehicles to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) since the owner of Song Pa Trading was still gathering documents to prove the legality of the vehicles. This is why the vehicles are still with PASG 7. (JGA)
