P6.4-B shabu ‘broker’ goes to Manila jail

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila court yesterday denied a motion by Customs broker Mark Ruben Taguba II to allow him to remain detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and instead ordered his immediate transfer to the Manila City Jail.

Regional Trial Court Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montessa said the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, not the NBI, has the mandate to take custody of any person whose case is being heard.

Taguba said he wanted to remain detained at the NBI because he fears for his life after baring the bribery or “tara” system in the Bureau of Customs.

He is on trial for the alleged smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu from China.

Montesa said Taguba failed to prove his life is in danger, but she is open to reconsidering her ruling if his camp can present evidence to prove there are threats to his life. She set Taguba’s arraignment on Feb. 9.

As for businessman Richard Tan, who owns the Valenzuela City warehouse where the illegal drugs were delivered in May 2017, Montesa gave the prosecution 10 days to comment on the motion he filed to dismiss the case against him.

Taguba has been under NBI custody after the court issued a warrant to arrest him and seven others.

Last Jan. 25, the Department of Justice filed criminal charges against Taguba, Tan, Kenneth Dong, Manny Li, EMT Trading owner Eirene Mae Tatad, Teejay Marcellana, Chen I-Min, Jhu Ming Jyu and Chen Rong Juan.

Taguba has repeatedly denied the drug shipment came from his shipping containers. He said on Thursday he is considering applying to be a state witness.

Another suspect arrested

Meanwhile, the NBI arrested Tatad at her house in Iloilo City yesterday morning.

Tatad’s firm was listed as the consignee of the P6.4-billion shabu shipment. 

She and the NBI team arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via Philippine Airlines just before noon yesterday, NBI director Dante Gierran said.

Tatad said she did not hide from the authorities but only took a vacation after a hearing at the Valenzuela RTC, which is trying her and the other suspects for transportation and delivery of dangerous drugs, “because she was too stressed.” 

The case was raffled off on Thursday to Branch 284 Judge Arthur Melicor, who is also hearing the possession of dangerous drugs charge against warehouse caretaker Fidel Anoche Dee.

Gierran said he had formed several tracker teams to locate the other suspects.– With Jennifer Rendon