A MANILA court has found Bureau of Customs (BOC) “fixer” Mark Taguba guilty in the smuggling of the P6.4 billion shabu shipment from China in 2017 and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The incident was one of the most high-profile drug cases that took place during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 also found Taguba’s co-accused – guilty businessman Dong Yi Shen, alias Kenneth Dong, and Eirene Mae Tatad, a consignee of the shipment.
“In this case, the Prosecution was able to discharge its burden of proving the guilt of accused Taguba, Tatad and Dong beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution was able to establish that the accused imported methamphetamine hydrochloride, a dangerous drug, into the Philippines without being authorized by law,” said the 18-page decision promulgated on November 18 by Presiding Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa.
“Wherefore, premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered finding the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violation of Section 4 of Republic Act No.9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and are hereby sentenced to suffer the penalty of life imprisonment,” it added.
The court also ordered the three defendants to pay a fine of P500, 000.
Meanwhile, the case against Chen Julong, alias Richard Tan or Richard Chen, Li Guang Feng, alias Manny Li, Teejay Marcellana, Chen I-Min, Jhu Ming Jyun, Chen Rong Huan and several John and Jane Does were sent to the court archives pending their arrest.
The court said the arrest warrants against the accused will remain active.
In finding Taguba guilty, the court said that the defenses that he and his co-accused presented to the court were “inherently weak.”
The court ruled that Taguba played a central role in facilitating the importation of the illegal drugs from China, noting that “he processed the importation documents and used his logistics company, Golden Strike Logistics Inc., to arrange for the transport of the container.”
“It is clear from the foregoing that Taguba played a central role in facilitating the importation of the illegal drugs. Taguba’s direct involvement in processing and facilitating the shipment’s entry through the BOC is a clear overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy,” it said.
The court said it was also able to determine that Tatad acted as consignee for the shipments for a fee of P1,500 for every container, while Dong translated and facilitated the communication between Taguba and another accused.
Last September, Taguba, Dong, Tatad and warehouseman Fidel Dee were also found guilty by Manila RTC Branch 21 Presiding Judge Alma Crispina Lacorte for violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
They were sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay a total fine of P150 million.
