Paolo Duterte, Mans Carpio to face Senate panel over Customs mess

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate blue ribbon committee on Monday invited presidential son Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his brother-in-law Manases Carpio to attend the next committee probe to explain their alleged participation in the entry of illegal drugs in the country.

"Pinatatawag na namin 'yung dalawa sapagkat kahit anong gawin ko sinasabi natin na hearsay, sinasabi natin na sila'y anak ng pangulo, [na] sila ay kamag-anak ng pangulo dapat ipatawag and that is why I agree na ipatawag sila in the first place," Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Sen. Richard Gordon said on GMA 7's "Unang Balita."

The next committee hearing will be on September 7, Thursday.

In a joint statement on Monday, Duterte and Carpio noted the summons.

"We commit to respect the invitation and attend the hearing," brothers-in-law said.

Earlier today, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte's advice to his son to attend the next Senate hearing.

"Their names were mentioned publicly. I believe there is a clamor for them to clear their names. Just volunteer," Trillanes said.

The senator, however, slammed the president for advising Paolo to invoke his right to remain silent once he is questioned.

"Here comes his son and his son-in-law who are being alleged to be behind the Davao group that facilitated the entry of this P6.4-billion illegal drugs and yet he's invoking the Bill of Rights. So that's the height of injustice and hypocrisy in his war on drugs," he said.

Paolo and his brother-in-law Manases Carpio were dragged in the drug shipment controversy after Bureau of Customs broker Mark Taguba told a Senate hearing last month that a group with alleged ties to Paolo had asked him to pay P5 million so that his shipments could enter without inspection.

"My advice to Pulong (Paolo): go there. Then once he (Trillanes) questions you, tell him 'I will not answer you. I'm invoking my right of silence,'" the president said over the weekend.

READ: Taguba clears VM Duterte, Sara's husband from Customs mess

On Friday, the Customs broker cleared Paolo and Carpio's involvement in the shipment of illegal drugs in the country and tara (grease money) system at BOC.

"I had never testified, nor will I ever testify that Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and/or Atty. Manse Carpio were involved in the shipment of illegal drugs into the country," Taguba said in a statement through his legal counsel Raymond Fortun.

"I am making this statement to clear Vice Mayor Duterte and Atty. Manse Carpio from any involvement in the shipment of illegal drugs into the country and any anomalies in the BOC. I also apologize to vice Mayor Duterte, Atty. Carpio and to the First Family for the proliferation of fake news arising from my testimony at the Senate" Taguba added.

READ: Palace: No more reason for Rody kin to attend probe

Malacañang, however, said the presidential son and son-in-law should no longer be called to attend a Senate probe.

"With Mark Ruben Taguba II's statement clearing Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and Atty. Manases Carpio from involvement in the BOC smuggling case, there may be no reason for the Senate investigative panel to call the two individuals to attend any hearing in Metro Manila, although they have indicated willingness to testify," presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.