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'Biktima kami ng Davao mafia': Former Customs agent cries

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Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<p>QUEZON CITY – Former Bureau of Customs intel agent Jimmy Guban turned emotional when he saw former Police Col. Eduardo Acierto during the House Quad Committee hearing on Thursday.</p><p>In a 2018 hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Guban linked Acierto to the shipment of P6 billion worth of shabu found inside steel magnetic lifters in the Manila International Container Terminal in August of that year.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/30/18/guban-claims-he-tried-to-block-shabu-entry">Guban claims he tried to block shabu entry</a></div><p>However, when he appeared at the House hearing in August, Guban took back his statements and admitted he was threatened.</p><p>Guban then claimed that<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/16/paolo-duterte-mans-carpio-michael-yang-linked-to-p6-b-drugs-shipment-case-1848">Davao City Rep. Paolo &quot;Pulong&quot; Duterte, Mans Carpio, Michael Yang, and a certain Paul Gutierrez</a>supposedly made the threat.</p><p>The congressman is the son of former President Rodrigo Duterte, while Carpio is the husband of Vice President Sara Duterte. Yang is a Chinese businessman who served as presidential economic adviser of Duterte.</p><p>Gutierrez is a former journalist and officer of the National Press Club. He was the former Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/17/national-press-club-denies-ties-to-michael-yang-allows-vp-to-go-on-leave-over-guban-claims-1624">READ: National Press Club denies ties to Michael Yang, allows VP to go on leave over Guban claims</a></div><p>Guban said he was pressured to not mention the said names.</p><p>&quot;Galit po at tuwa dahil kaming dalawa [Acierto] pareho pang buhay, hindi ho dahil sa pagkanulo. Kung &#x27;di dahil sa sindikato, sa mafia ng Davao na kami ang biktima. Pasalamat kami sa Diyos, pareho kaming buhay,&quot; he responded when asked by lawmakers why he was in tears.</p><p>&quot;Ilan ang namatay dahil diyan sa Davao mafia and their purpose to save the queen in order to become the next president. That is how ganun nila ginawa. Lahat patayan,&quot; Guban added.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/11/garma-says-duterte-tapped-davao-model-on-killing-drug-suspects-2122">READ: Garma says Duterte tapped &#x27;Davao Model&#x27; on killing drug suspects</a></div><p>The former Customs intel agent did not specify who he was pertaining to in his statement.</p><p>Guban was reminded by House Quad Comm Lead Chairperson Rep. Robert Ace Barbers that the hearing is not the time for him to air such sentiments.</p><p>&quot;We did our best your honors para kami ay makatulong sa bayan. Pero ang sinapit namin... Siya may patong sa ulo. Ako hanggang ngayon nakakulong sa National Bilibid Prison,&quot; Guban added.</p><p>Later in the hearing, Acierto was asked how he felt seeing Guban, whose statement resulted in his conviction for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.</p><p>&quot;Matagal na kaming hindi naguusap ni Jimmy Guban. Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa kanya at sinabi niya ang totoo. Wala po akong galit sa kanya dahil alam ko pareho kaming biktima,&quot; Acierto said.</p><p>&quot;Salamat at tinama mo. Salamat at sinabayan mo akong ilabas ang katotohanan. Wala akong galit sa iyo. Siguro tampo lang pero wala na yun… Sabi ko nga sa&#x27;yo, trabaho lang tayo pero binangga natin yung nasa taas,&quot; he said addressing Guban, who was emotional.</p><p>Acierto earlier said two of his informants previous linked Yang to illegal drugs.</p><p>He also mentioned that the former Special Assistant to the President and now senator Bong Go, Senator Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; Dela Rosa, and the former President knew about this claim.</p><p>Rep. Duterte, Benny Antiporda and Gutierrez have previously denied Guban&#x27;s allegations.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BhTf8xowbmA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban turned emotional on Thursday upon seeing dismissed Col. Eduardo Acierto, whom he once implicated in the billion-peso drug shipment in 2018.</p>

Former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban turned emotional on Thursday upon seeing dismissed Col. Eduardo Acierto, whom he once implicated in the billion-peso drug shipment in 2018.