MANILA—In a significant ruling on a high-profile drug smuggling case, a Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) convicted four individuals, including customs broker Mark Taguba II, for their roles in the smuggling of 602.279 kilograms of shabu valued at PHP6.4 billion in May 2017.
According to the Philippines News Agency, Judge Alma Crispina Lacorte of Manila RTC Branch 21 delivered an 88-page decision, sentencing Taguba and his co-accused to reclusion perpetua, which ranges from 20 to 40 years imprisonment. Additionally, they were ordered to pay PHP50 million for each of the three complaints covered in the consolidated decision.
The others found guilty include Eirene Mae Tatad, Fidel Dee, and Dong Yi Shen, known as ‘Kenneth Dong’, all charged under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. However, Judge Lacorte noted that other accused individuals remain at large and have not yet been arraigned. These include Teejay Marcellana, Chen Julong, Richard Tan (also known as Richard Chen), Chen I-Min, Jhu Ming Jyun, and Li Guang Fend (also known as Manny Li).
The case centered around the smuggling of illegal drugs from China, which were concealed in five metal cylinders at a warehouse in Valenzuela City, after being transported from the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in Port Area. Taguba’s company, Golden Strike Logistic, Inc., was responsible for delivering the container van carrying the drugs to Hong Fei Logistics’ warehouse, managed by Chen Julong.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Taguba facilitated the shipment’s release from the Bureau of Customs and engaged the services of Marcellana. Tatad’s role involved her company, EMT Trading, which served as the importer/consignee of the shipment and was used by Taguba as a consignee for hire for a fee.
Dong, in his defense, claimed that his involvement was limited to introducing Li to Taguba at a social function to discuss setting up an import processing business for Chinese businessmen. However, evidence from previous shipments and the discovery of drugs hidden within metal cylinders inside wooden crates addressed to Fidel Dee at the warehouse tied all four to the importation and smuggling operations.
This verdict marks a major milestone in addressing drug smuggling in the Philippines, with the court highlighting the “indispensable participation” of the convicted individuals in these illegal activities.