Jimmy Guban (Screenshot from Facebook livestream)

Who is this "queen" that the so-called "Davao mafia" wants to help become the next president?

Former Bureau of Customs (BOC) intelligence officer Jimmy Guban left this question on the minds of solons during the House quad-committee (quad-comm) hearing on Thursday, Nov. 7.

In an emotional outburst during the hearing, Guban, an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), blasted the Davao mafia for his fate as well as that of fellow quad-comm witness, dismissed Police Col. Eduardo Acierto, whom the previous Duterte administration allegedly placed a bounty on.

Guban said he was glad that he and Acierto, who attended the hearing via videoconference, were still alive.

"Si [former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency deputy director general] Col. [Ismael] Fajardo po namatay. Si Captain [Lito] Perote, si agent Ernan Abario na kasama ko sa customs, patay. Dalawa rin ang namatay sa akin. Sa kanya ilan ang namatay dahil po diyan sa Davao mafia and their purpose to save the queen in order to become the next president," said Guban, who wore his orange inmate shirt.

(Col. Fajardo has died. So has Captain Perote, and agent Eman Abario who was with me at customs. Two of my comrades died. He also lost some men because of the Davao mafia and their purpose to save the queen in order to become the next president.)

'Hardcore killers'

This remark piqued the curiousity of House Assistant Majority Leader Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun, who went in to press Guban for names.

"Maaari po bang pakilinaw ito, at sino po yung tinutoy ninyo?...Gusto lang natin malinawan kung anong ibig mong sabihin dito," Khonghun said.

(Can you clarify this, who are you referring to?...We just want to clarify what you mean by this.)

Guban replied: "This time I cannot give you the categorical answer because of the security, your honor. Pero yung mga implememtors...ito ay mga hardcore killers, implemetors ito ng mga Davao group."

(But the implementors...these are the harcore killers, the implementors of the Davao group.)

When Khonghun asked if what he's talking about involved someone with an ambition to become president, Guban answered in the affirmative.

"Yes your honor, they want to clean their names, that family, their family...ngayon lumalabas ang kanilang mga plano at pagsisinungaling at ang pagiging narcopolitics, your honor."

(Now their plans are coming out, as well as their lies, and their links to narcopolitics.)

"Pamilya Duterte ba yung tinutukoy mo? (Are you referring to the Duterte family?)" the solon from Zambales asked Guban point-blank. 

"I'm sorry your honor, maybe next time," the ex-BOC intelligence officer said.

"Maybe when I'm already prepared, ilalabas ko po yan, kahit po with matrix...ang security po ng pamilya ko ay at stake (I will divulge that, with matrix even...the security of my family is at stake)," Guban said.

ALSO READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/11/7/paduano-irked-by-duterte-s-latest-no-show

'Salamat Jimmy'

The quad-comm is looking into former president Rodrigo Duterte's bloody anti-narcotics campaign, which according to critics claimed over 30,000 lives.

Before being elected to Malacañang in 2016, Duterte was the long-time mayor of Davao City. 

In 2018, Guban testified before the Senate to implicate Acierto on drug charges. The former has since told the quad-comm that he faced death threats and intense pressure to falsely accuse Acierto.

Guban was convicted in connection with drug importation, while his co-accused, Acierto, has been hiding since 2019. Thursday was the first time that they exchanged any words in six years.

"Sir, let's go to work!" Guban told Acierto, who made peace with him by saying, "Salamat Jimmy, ingat ka (Thanks Jimmy, take care)."

'Protector'

In the same hearing, Acierto accused Duterte of being a “protector” of suspected drug lords Michael Yang and Allan Lim, also known as Lin Weixiong.

Acierto said that in 2017, his team compiled an intelligence report detailing the alleged involvement of Yang--who once served as Duterte’s economic adviser--and Lim in the illegal drug trade.

He told the special four-way panel that Yang and Lim were “close friends” of the former president.

“Sigurado po ako dahil sa mga nangyari sa aking mga tauhan, prinotektahan niya si Michael Yang at si Allan Lim,” Acierto said during the interpellation of quad-comm co-chairman Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr.

(I'm sure of it because of what happened to my men, he protected Michael Yang and Allan Lim.)

Acierto was referring to his subordinates Perote and MSgt. Gerry Liwanag.

Perote was abducted by armed men who wore bulletproof vests in Bacolod City in April 2019. He remains missing to this day, and Acierto believes he may have been killed.

Meanwhile, Liwanag was shot dead by unidentified assailants in San Jose del Monte City in February 2021.