(Eagle News) – Customs “broker” Mark Taguba revealed several text messages containing conversations about millions of pesos in “tara” or bribe money given to Customs officials, and said that he also has the bank documents that will support his allegations.
In his Senate testimony, Taguba, presented as a witness by Senator Panfilo Lacson, read and showed specific text messages sent to and received from various Customs men, or so-called collectors tasked to get “tara” money for offices under the Bureau of Customs.
These include the Import Assessment Service (IAS), Manila International Container Port, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), Enforcement and Security Service, Assessment and Operational Coordinating Group (AOCG), X-ray section, and also the Office of the Commissioner under then Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon.
Taguba said that he had given a total of P92 million in “tara” or bribe to the various Customs officials and employees since he started his “business” in August last year.
He also read several texts from a certain Joel Pinawin, a long-time officer of the Bureau of Customs. Taguba said Pinawin was one of those requesting and receiving “tara” or bribe money. He also bared several text messages from customs collector following up on what Pinawin was asking.
He said that not all amounts tallied with the withhdrawals from the bank because there were money given directly to the Customs officials by Kenneth Dong and others.
Taguba presented call logs, bank documents from Banco De Oro, and RCBC, and text messages from several Customs officers including a Major Telan, Gemma Castillo, a certain Tita Nani DG, Noel DG, and a certain Jojo, and Chito Almeda, among others
“Hindi ka makakatakas sa kanila, kasi sinasabi ang container number mo,” Taguba said.
He said the “tara” was given usually every Friday, but sometimes, he said he was not able to withdraw on time, so he would give it on a Monday.
“Voluntary upgrades” and additional “tara” for Commissioner’s office
Taguba said that a certain Noel told him that he was the one being instructed by former IAS director Maestrecampo for “voluntary upgrades” of the shipments.
“Si Noel naman po ang direct na inuutusan ni Maestrecampo para sa mga voluntary upgrades,” Taguba said during the senate inquiry.
He said that a certain Major Telan was the person who is there during examinations of alerted shipments.
“Siya (Telan) po yung pisikal na nandoon pag nagkakaroon ng examination sa mga alert,” he said.
He said that he was able to directly contact Noel and Major Telan, Tita Nani and Jojo.
“Ang hindi ko lang po na directly nako-contact ay si Milo Maestrecampo,” Taguba said referring to the former IAS director in charge of valuing shipments passing through the BOC. But he said he had seen Maestrecampo talking to Telan on several occasions.
Taguba said that these special stop orders are still another thing they have to contend with, aside from the “tara” or bribe.
Under these special stop orders from the Office of the Commissioner, Taguba said he was given the operative word called “voluntary upgrades” where he has to pay additional amounts for shipments for which he had already paid taxes for.
Taguba said that the advice of Maestrecampo for the “voluntary upgrade” so his shipment would be released was relayed to him by two persons, including by one Tita Nani.
During the hearing, he detailed the shipments stopped by the Office of the Commissioner (OCOM), although he had already paid the necessary taxes for these.
Because of the “special stop” orders from the OCOM under Faeldon, he was instructed to pay additional “tara” – from P40,000 to P50,000, he said during the hearing.
“Ang pagkaka-alam ko po, pag na-alert na po sya. Kailangan na po syang dumaan sa proceso, ang pagkaka-alam ko po kailangan nang dumaan sa examination,” Taguba said.
But he was still advised by Maestrecampo’s men to apply for “voluntary upgrade” for the shipments’ release.
“Advice raw ni MM,” he said referring to Milo Maestrecampo. “Pero yan ang text sa akin, hindi ko masabihan kasi sila ang naglalakad sa loob.”
“Sabi ni Tita Nani, yan ang utos ni Milo Maestrecampo. Request P50,000 sa OCOM, Office of the Commissioner,” Taguba recalled.
“Pag may na-alert ka, may panibagong babayarang additional tara. The operative word is voluntary upgrade,” he said.
Senator Lacson earlier said he was readying charges of economic sabotage against Faeldon, saying he would be presenting damning evidence, complete with documents, that would pin down the former Customs chief.
(Eagle News Service)
https://youtu.be/LGv5L0VsT-w
