Taguba also claimed that corrupt Bureau of Customs officials and personnel, especially those belonging to the Customs Command Center, are earning billions from tara or grease money.
During the hearing, Taguba said prior to his recent conviction for multiple charges of drug smuggling involving P6.4 billion worth of illegal drugs from China seized by authorities in Valenzuela City in 2017, business for him had been very profitable.
He said this profitability came after paying P5 million in "enrollment fee" to the "Davao Group," which he described as a mafia-type syndicate in smuggling allegedly headed by Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, son of former president Duterte.
Being enlisted in the Davao group, he added, was a worthy investment since it solved the problem of having the containers held without legal basis.
This story is from the December 15, 2024 edition of The Philippine Star.
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This story is from the December 15, 2024 edition of The Philippine Star.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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