Customs lawyer Mandy Anderson told Senator Bam Aquino on Thursday she knew the two from the alleged five bribe-givers linked with the P6.4-billion drug shipment from China.
Atty. Anderson clarified that the five groups listed by Senator Panfilo Lacson, the Kimberly Gamboa group once asked for a meeting with former Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon regarding a shipment which was put on hold.
“So, at that time she was trying to meet with the Commissioner to try to explain that her shipment was actually not alertable and to complain that her shipment was put on hold without an alert order,” Lawyer Anderson said.
When asked by Senator Aquino if the unnamed BOC employee is a member of the Davao Group, Anderson confirmed that the said unnamed BOC employee is a member of the Davao Group and also earlier came to the Commissioner during his term to help lift a certain 60 plus shipments.
“Yes it was one time, your honor, I think August of last year… The unnamed BOC employee just came to my office regarding the 60 plus shipments which were alerted by the Commissioner at the start of his term,” she clarified, saying, “he asked me if I could help him and then he showed me a text message from a certain Mans. But I told him, “I don’t care”, and I told him to leave my office.”
According to Senator Bam, to avoid being subjective and unfair, he stated, “To be fair, certain Mans. Wala namang tinutukoy si Atty. Carpio or anyone. To be fair,” and Anderson even agreed, “Yes, I don’t know.”
Anderson stated that the unnamed BOC employee showed a text message from a certain “Mans”, saying “to lift the- tulungan to lift the shipment (60 containers).”
However, when questioned if the 60 containers were allowed to be shipped, Anderson recalled, “the last thing I heard about those 60 containers was that the district collector issued a WSD (warrant of seizure and detention).” | (Tina Joyce Laceda – PTV)
