Fall guys, not real masterminds, jailed for billion-peso drug busts – Quad Comm chair Barbers

THE chairman of the House Quad Comm on Tuesday raised serious concerns over what he described as a gross miscarriage of justice in the Duterte administration’s war against illegal drugs, asserting that “fall guys” were convicted while the real masterminds behind billion-peso drug smuggling operations remain scot-free.

In his opening remarks during the committee’s 14th hearing, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers lamented that innocent individuals have been imprisoned for up to 40 years while those truly responsible for the massive drug shipments continue to evade prosecution.

“Ang mga pagpuslit ng tone-toneladang droga na nagkakahalaga ng mahigit labindalawang bilyong piso (P12B), na ibinintang sa mga maliliit na tao ay isang kahina-hinalang hakbang upang pagtakpan ang mga tunay na may kinalaman,” Barbers said.

He pointed to several individuals who were allegedly used as scapegoats in high-profile drug cases, including businessman Mark Taguba, warehouse guard Fidel Anoche Dee and former Bureau of Customs employee Jimmy Guban, all of whom were convicted despite what Barbers believes are glaring gaps in evidence.

“Si Mark Taguba, isang batang negosyante, sumasalo lamang ng mga pinarating ng mga nag-angkat o importer ng mga bagay-bagay kasama na ang iligal na droga. Wala siyang alam sa laman ng containers,” Barbers noted.

Barbers further highlighted the controversial case of Fidel Anoche Dee, a warehouse guard who unknowingly received shipments of drugs in what was supposedly a “controlled delivery” by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

“Ang bodegero ay kinasuhan at ngayon ay nagdurusa sa loob ng bilangguan,” he said.

Barbers reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to justice and accountability, stating, “If these people are necessary fall guys in order to cover up the truth, then we have committed a grave injustice which we are now compelled to rectify.”

The lawmaker criticized the failure to charge higher-level officials and influential individuals who may have had a hand in facilitating the entry of illegal drugs.

Barbers also raised concerns over the promotion of officials involved in the handling of these cases, such as former prosecutor Aristotle Reyes, who was later appointed as an RTC judge despite his supposed role in pursuing the convictions of alleged fall guys.

“Si dating prosecutor Aristotle Reyes na diumano matapos sampahan ng kaso ang mga fall guys ay na-promote bilang isang RTC judge na ngayon ay balitang diumano ay nag-a-apply din bilang isang justice ng Sandiganbayan kung ito man po ay totoo,” Barbers said.

“Gusto sana nating makaharap dito si Judge Reyes upang malinawan ang mga bagay na ito subalit kinakailangan pa natin ng pahintulot ng Korte Suprema dahil sa siya ay isa na pong judge,” Barbers said. “Isang bagay na kinakailangan malinawan ay ang mga charges diumano ni prosecutor, na sinang-ayunan ng Department of Justice under former Sec. Vitallano Aguirre.”

He called for a deeper investigation into these questionable prosecutions, emphasizing that the Quad Comm is not just after punishing those involved in criminal activities but also ensuring that justice is served fairly.

“Hinahanap ng Quad Comm ang hustisya. Hinahanap namin ang tunay na may-ari ng droga,” Barbers stated.

Barbers underscored the urgency of amending existing laws to prevent similar injustices in the future, stating that legislative action is necessary to prevent further cases of wrongful convictions.

“Sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatibay pa ng mga batas, maiwasan natin ang injustice,” he said.

As the Quad Comm continues its hearings, Barbers vowed to pursue the real masterminds behind these operations and rectify past mistakes.

He called on the Department of Justice and other relevant agencies to re-examine the cases and bring the true perpetrators to justice.

Meanwhile, the committee also intends to tackle unresolved cases of extrajudicial killings, including the cold-blooded murder of General Wesley Barayuga, which remains shrouded in unanswered questions.

“We will try to elicit from Col. Grijaldo some important information pertaining to the murder,” Barbers said.