Former Bureau of Customs (BOC) fixer Mark Taguba testified before the House Quad Committee on Thursday, revealing that he paid a P5 million “enrollment fee” to join the so-called “Davao Group.” He said this move was a response to harassment he faced from BOC officials, who repeatedly delayed his shipments without valid reasons.
Taguba identified members of the Davao Group as Tita Nani, Davao City Councilor Nilo “Small” Abellera Jr., and individuals named Jack and Noel. He claimed the group informed him that he could not transact with Customs unless he joined them.
Payments Allegedly Directed to Paolo Duterte
Taguba alleged that the group instructed him to hand the P5 million to Davao City Representative Paolo Duterte, son of former President Rodrigo Duterte. However, he clarified he never met Duterte and instead gave the money to Abellera, reportedly a close associate of the congressman.
“Pinapapunta nila ako sa Davao nun, para daw i-meet si Paolo Duterte. Pero never ko po na-meet [si Paolo Duterte]. Doon ko po binigay kay Small [Abellera] ‘yung P5 million,” Taguba said.
Allegations of Systemic Corruption
Taguba detailed how shipments were held by Customs officials who demanded bribes, adding that businesses often had no choice but to comply to avoid lengthy delays. “Kaya nasabi ko po yan na tingin ko po lahat ng shipment dumadaan po talaga sa ‘tara system,’ one way or the other,” he said, referring to the so-called “payoff system” prevalent in Customs transactions.
He also emphasized that such operations would not be possible without higher-level approval, suggesting systemic corruption. “Kung walang basbas sa taas, hindi mangyayari ‘yun,” Taguba noted.
The Impact of Joining the Group
Taguba said his “enrollment” in the group initially seemed like a worthy investment. The arrangement allowed him to process up to 100 containers weekly at an all-in grease money cost of P170,000 per container.
Drug Smuggling Conviction and Unanswered Questions
Despite his claims of innocence, Taguba has been convicted on multiple charges related to the 2017 smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of drugs from China. He lamented that no Customs officials or members of the Davao Group were charged in connection to the case.
“Hanggang ngayon, nagtataka ako bakit hindi sila kasama dito sa kaso namin,” he said.
Taguba maintains he was unaware that the shipment he handled contained illegal drugs, as the packing list he received did not reflect the actual contents.
QuadComm’s Next Steps
QuadComm lead chairperson Rep. Ace Barbers announced plans to summon Councilor Abellera in the next hearing to further probe the allegations.
The revelations underscore the need for a deeper investigation into corruption and influence-peddling within the Bureau of Customs.