admin • February 1, 2018 • 4293



MANILA, Philippines — Customs broker Mark Taguba has been transferred to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detention cell after the Manila Regional Trial Court ordered his arrest over drug smuggling.

The case stems from the 6.4 billion pesos worth of shabu smuggled at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) last year.

Taguba was under the protection of the Senate because he testified during their inquiry into the case.

But he was among the nine persons indicted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as he facilitated the importation of the shabu shipment.

“He was taken into custody after proper turn over from the Office of the Sergeant at Arms of the Philippine Senate where he had been kept in protective custody,” said NBI spokesperson Atty. Ferdinand Lavin.

The court has also ordered the arrest of all his co-accused except for businessman Richard Tan who has a pending motion to nullify the case.

NBI agents are now in pursuit of his seven co-accused.

“If there are surrender feelers for those accused named in the warrant, then we would be glad to accommodate them here at the NBI,” said Lavin.

Taguba is confident he will be cleared in the case claiming he is innocent.

He is open to be a government witness just as he had testified in Senate hearings.

“Di pa namin nagagawa pero naiisip na namin yan, yung state witness,” said Taguba.

(We have yet to work on it but we have thought about becoming a state witness.)

On February 2, the court will hear Taguba’s request to remain in NBI custody while undergoing trial. — Roderic Mendoza | UNTV News & Rescue