Former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban will become a state witness in cases that will be filed in connection with the shipment of shabu—estimated to be worth at least P6.8 billion—that slipped past the Bureau of Customs in August.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said that orders of President Rodrigo Duterte, Guban will be transferred to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation as the government builds its case against officials and other people implicated in the drug smuggling case.
Guevarra said Guban is considered a “vital witness.”
“Mr. Guban shall be considered for coverage under the witness protection program, upon full compliance with all the requirements under the WPP law,” Guevarra said, in a text message.
He said he discussed Guban’s custody with Senate Blue Ribbon committee chairman Senator Richard Gordon.
Guevarra said the NBI will conduct further investigation on the basis of the Senate committee report and “file the appropriate complaints as evidence will warrant.”
The NBI is also conducting a parallel investigation into the smuggled shabu shipment that was allegedly contained in four empty magnetic lifters that were found in a Cavite warehouse in August.
On Wednesday, Duterte ordered the police to arrest Guban and have him detained at the NBI office.
Guban, who was called to testify before the Senate, was being detained thereafter he was cited for contempt for lying to the committee.
The House of Representatives is also investigating the shabu shipment.
Despite Duterte’s arrest order, Guban will stay with the Senate until the Blue Ribbon committee is done with its investigation, Senator Richard Gordon said Thursday.
“We are a co-equal branch of government… we can’t turn over Mr. Guban right away because we are still continuing the hearings,” said Gordon, an ally of the President.
“I respect the President, but we do follow certain rules…and a part of that would be to make sure that the status of the Congress as a co-equal branch of government is respected,” Gordon said.
Once the Blue Ribbon finishes its probe, he said, Guban’s testimony can be evaluated to determine if he can be placed under the witness protection program.
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