THE Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday recommended the filing of criminal charges against former Bureau of Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon and several other former officials in connection with the P6.4-billion shabu smuggling.
Its special panel of fact-finding investigators said Faeldon, ex-Import Assessment Service director Milo Maestrecampo, former Risk Management Office chief Larribert Hilario and former accounts Management Office chief Mary Grace Tecson-Malabed must face graft charges before the Sandiganbayan.
The complaints against former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte and lawyer Manases Carpio were dismissed for lack of basis.
The Ombudsman clarified Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales did not take part in the investigation.
Faeldon and other Customs officials—Joel Pinawin and Oliver Valiente—were also charged with administrative charges of grave misconduct, while Tecson-Malabed and Maestrecampo were also sued for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct.
The panel also recommended the filing of usurpation of official functions under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code, and violation of Section 32 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or RA 9165 against Faeldon, and violation of Section 3(a) of RA 3019 against Faeldon and director Neil Anthony Estrella.
The criminal and administrative charges will undergo preliminary investigation and administrative adjudication, respectively.
On May 26, 2017, joint operatives from the BoC-Customs Intelligence and Investigative Services, National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency conducted a raid on a warehouse owned by the Philippine Hongfei Logistics Group of Co. Inc. in Valenzuela City.
The raid involved the controlled delivery of a shipment declared to contain printing cylinders.
“The BoC later discovered and seized the shabu but the manner through which the discovery and seizure were made leaves much to be desired. Evidence suggests that numerous laws and administrative issuances pertaining to the proper search, seizure, handling and controlled delivery of drugs were violated by the public officers,” the Ombudsman’s resolution.
The raid yielded 602.2 kilos of high-grade shabu with an estimated street value of P6.4 billion.