Paul Gutierrez’s term as executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security has officially expired, according to a letter from the Office of the President dated Sept. 12.
In a letter to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin informed him of the immediate expiration of Gutierrez’s tenure on behalf of President Ferdinand Marcos.
No further details were provided regarding Gutierrez’s replacement or future plans for the task force.
Gutierrez, a journalist and former National Press Club president, was implicated in an alleged drug-smuggling operation alongside former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Benny Antiporda based on the claims of former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban.
Guban revealed in an affidavit during a House investigation that Gutierrez, Antiporda, Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband Manases Carpio, her brother Rep. Paolo Duterte, and former adviser Michael Yang were implicated in the botched smuggling of P11 billion worth of shabu found in magnetic lifters at the Manila International Container Port in 2018.
However, Gutierrez denied any links to any alleged drug smuggling, citing Guban as an “inveterate liar”.
