NBI holds bagman in Cebu port van theft

CEBU CITY —The alleged bagman in the payoff that allegedly resulted in the theft of 10 seized container vans containing smuggled rice from Singapore from the Cebu International Port showed up at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) here to clear his name but succeeded only in issuing conflicting statements.

Winley dela Fuente, not Wendell as erroneously reported earlier, came with his brother Bobby to deny allegations made by three witnesses now in NBI custody.

The three witnesses include stacker operator Arnold Glodove and transtainer operator Arnel Ondoy, both employees of Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation, the sole handler of foreign cargo at the international port, and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service errand boy (CIIS) Rustico Fernandez.

At first, Dela Fuente denied the allegations but eventually admitted that "he was just ‘commissioned’ by a certain Allen to contact people inside the port who can help facilitate the theft of all 10 vans seized by the Bureau of Customs.

The seizure of the hot cargo is believed tied to the ambush slaying of deputy Customs collector Eduardo Lao and examiner Bennet Soreno last month.

NBI regional director Reynaldo Esmeralda said even if dela Fuente denied all the allegations, his positive identification by the three witnesses is sufficient to prove his alleged involvement in the operation.

Esmeralda noted that while dela Fuente eventually admitted receiving P5,000 from Allen, the figure did not match the amount claimed to have been received by Glodove and Ondoy.

Glodove claimed he got P10,000 from dela Fuente while Ondoy claimed he received P5,000. The payment was for their help in taking the two vans from the stockroom and loading them onto a designated truck.

Esmeralda said he can use dela Fuente as a state witness should he cooperate with the investigation but the NBI but would file theft charges against him if he chooses otherwise. — Freeman News Service