'BOC Drug Probe Whistleblower Mark Taguba Not A Customs Broker' -CCBI

Controversial whistleblower Mark Taguba, a self-confessed Customs broker who was one of the key witness in the Bureau of Customs mess which led to the conscation of billions of pesos of shabu shipment, is now identied as a fake broker.

Photo credit Manila Bulletin

CCBI, through a statement signed by Atty. Ferdinand Nague, the organization’s president, Wednesday, bared that “Mr. Taguba is not a Customs broker and not a member of the customs brokerage profession.”

The revelation was made after Taguba, who claimed to be a Customs broker, linked several ranking Customs officials to corruption and other irregularities during a House inquiry lasy Monday.

According to CCBI secretary Antonio Bilazon, after investigation and verification with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), they found out that Taguba is not a customs broker.

Bilazon said CCBI board met with Nague late Tuesday to discuss the matter and decided to reveal it to the public the next day.

The alleged customs broker Mark Taguba accused five major officials of the BOC of taking bribes to facilitate his shipments. Taguba said the officials were Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Teddy Group Teddy Raval, Manila International Container Port (MICP) District Collector Vincent Philip Maronilla, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Neil Estrella,
MICP-CIIS District Intelligence Officer Teodoro Sagaral and Import Assessment Service (IAS) Director Milo Maestrecampo.