Rep. Duterte denies knowing Guban

DAVAO City First District Paolo “Pulong” Duterte questioned the legitimacy of Jimmy Guban’s statement dragging him and two other individuals in the multi-billion-peso shabu shipment seized in 2018, saying that Guban had been cited in contempt for the inconsistencies of his statements.

In a statement issued to the media on Friday evening, August 16, 2024, Duterte denied Guban’s accusation, emphasizing that he never had any interaction with the former customs officer.

"Hindi ko po kilala si Jimmy Guban at sigurado ako na hindi rin niya ako kilala. Wala kaming anumang transaction o ugnayan kaya walang rason na siya ay pagbantaan kung babanggitin man niya ang pangalan ko,” Duterte said.

Guban alleged that Duterte, along with Vice President Sara Duterte's husband Manases Carpio, and businessman Michael Yang, is involved in the multi-billion-peso shabu shipment seized in 2018.

Guban, a former customs intelligence officer who was imprisoned for his involvement in the entry of two magnetic lifters containing shabu at the Manila International Container Port in 2018, tagged the three prominent individuals during a joint hearing by four committees of the House of Representatives or the "Quad Committee" on Friday at Bacolor, Pampanga.

The shabu shipment worth P11 billion was concealed in magnetic lifters when discovered in the port.

Guban said that he lied about the persons responsible for the illegal shipment of shabu during his testimony to the Senate in 2018 citing threats to him and his family's life.

He revealed that former environment undersecretary Benny Antiporda sent an emissary to warn him about dragging Duterte, Carpio, and Yang in the shabu importation mess, or else his life will be in danger.

"Huwag ka matakot kasi sila Mans Carpio, Pulong Duterte at Michael Yang ang may-ari ng shipment," Guban quoted a lower-ranked Customs officer as telling him about the shipment of shabu in 2018.

Guban also revealed that Davao City Councilor Nilo Abellera ordered the entry of the cargoes as they belonged to "Michael Yang, Pulong Duterte and Mans."

“Luwagan mo ‘yang shipments na ‘yan, alam mo naman na kina Michael Yang, Pulong, at Mans ‘yan,” the former BOC official quoting Abellera.

Guban said the councilor told him that he was tasked to facilitate the release of shipments.

“As their business partner and trusted man, he [Abellera] was tasked to facilitate the release of shipments from the Bureau of Customs,” Guban said.

The former customs official was cited in contempt at that time for the inconsistencies of his statements.

In response to Guban’s statement, Duterte emphasized that the former, being tagged as "star witness," should be telling the truth.

“Hindi po si Jimmy Guban ang taong yan sapagkat siya po ay na i-contempt na ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee dahil sa kanyang pagsisinungaling,” he said.

“Klaro po na walang kredibilidad ang taong yan at walang basehan ang kanyang mga sinasabi noon pa man, kaya di ko po alam kung bakit bigla po siyang naging star witness dito,” he added.

Duterte also said he wishes to see Guban’s sworn statement, which would be the basis of his lawyer’s next step.

SunStar Davao reached out to Abellera for his comment on the matter, but he has not responded as of writing. Meanwhile, SunStar Davao is also trying to reach out to Carpio in relation to the matter.

Duterte, son of former president Rodrigo Duterte, had previously denied involvement in any drug-related activities.

He also said that he welcomed the recent filing of cases spearheaded by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, which would be an avenue to clear his name on the long-standing accusation against him.

Meanwhile, in a GMA News report, Atty. Raymond Fortun, Yang's lawyer, said Guban's statements against his client was "hearsay in nature."

"Mr. Guban had made statements under oath in the past which are contradictory to what he is saying now.  The Supreme Court has looked with disfavor upon retractions of testimonies previously given in court," Fortun said.

"Mr. Yang's name does not appear in any of the shipping documents, nor is he the consignee.  By law, he is not the owner of the shipment," he added.

Yang had previously served as an economic adviser under the Duterte administration. RGL