By Vanne Elaine Terrazola  In an apparent about-face, Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban said Tuesday that he tried to stop the now-missing P11 billion worth of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) from slipping through the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) watch. Former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban
(ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN) Guban, at the continuation of the Senate’s investigation Tuesday on the shabu-smuggling controversy at the BOC, denied his role in the entry of the illegal shipment of illegal drugs through magnetic lifters that were imported into the country. Reading his affidavit before the Blue Ribbon committee, the Customs intelligence officer instead said he worked on the seizure of the smuggled shabu upon learning from dismissed Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto about the illegal shipment, through an unaccredited importer. Still, he tagged Acierto as among those who shepherded the entry of the shabu shipment into the Manila International Container Port (MICP). He said it was Acierto who contacted him about magnetic lifters where the illegal drugs were kept. “He (Acierto) confided to me that the goods covered by the bill of lading where Vecaba Trading was named importer-consignee are actually illegal drugs, particularly shabu,” Guban said after supposedly finding out about the unaccredited importer. “Upon hearing this, I immediately responded that it was not possible to do and I declared to Col. Acierto that we from the BOC will cause the apprehension of these drugs. This is my duty as a government employee and as a Customs intelligence officer,” he added, telling the panel that it was his “sincere will and intention” to intercept the drug shipment. Guban said Acierto, this time, committed to help in the seizure of the illegal drugs. He said the ex-police officer gave him “staggered” and “piecemeal” details about the shipment. He then recalled suggesting to Acierto to meet former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-National Capital Region director Ismael Fajardo about the shabu shipment. He also mentioned BOC Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Ricardo Quinto as among those who participated in the operation. Guban, however, clarified that he was not clearing Acierto out of the controversy despite his offer to help in the operation. “No, your Honor, alam na niya po ‘yong importation. Alam na niya po na may droga po (He already knew about the importation. He already knew that there were illegal drugs),” he told Sen. Richard Gordon. He also stood by his statements that Acierto and Fajardo have long known each other. Guban, also, stressed that his previous statements in the congressional investigations do not equate to the admission of his involvement in the drug smuggling. He blamed the confusion on his lack of knowledge, fear for his safety, and the limited opportunity that lawmakers supposedly gave him to explain on the issue. “I understand that the previous hearings held in the Senate and House of Representatives, I may have made statements, which may be contrary to the foregoing statements, or statements which tend to incriminate me as participant to the commission of the illegal importation subject of this inquiry, or statements which tend to become an admission on my part,” Guban noted. “ This happened for so many reasons. Among them was the lack of knowledge as to the nature of the investigation, and the stress brought about by the fear for my personal safety and family, and my long confinement in detention,” he explained. In addition, some of the questions asked of me were only answerable by yes or no, not allowing me to clarify my answer, resulting in my purported admission of the crime,” he added. Guban then assured to be open for questions from the Senate and House and to “answer them as much as I can in detail, or reiterate and clarify, if necessary,” he stated during the legislative inquiries.