Bombshell claims link Philippines’ Duterte clan to massive meth smuggling scheme

Guban, a former customs intelligence officer with 17 years of experience, told lawmakers that Congressman Paolo Duterte; lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio; and Chinese businessman and economic adviser Michael Yang owned the massive magnetic lifters used to secretly transport hundreds of kilograms of crystal meth, or “shabu”, into the country in 2018.

In 2018, Guban had named a different suspect, police officer Eduardo Acierto, before the Senate. But now, appearing before a newly formed congressional “super committee”, he claimed he had received death threats and was pressured to falsely implicate Acierto, describing himself as the victim of a “grand conspiracy to clean the name of the First Family [the Dutertes] and Michael Yang”.

Recanting his previous Senate testimony, Guban at the August 16 hearing asked to be placed in a witness protection programme. He named additional alleged members of the syndicate, including Davao City councillor Nilo Abillera Jnr, who he said represented Yang and Carpio, as well as journalists Paul Gutierrez and Benny Antiporda. Guban identified Gutierrez, speaking on behalf of Antiporda, as one of the individuals who had threatened to kill him and kidnap his child.

The accused vehemently denied Guban’s allegations. Congressman Paolo Duterte, the former president’s son, said he did not know Guban. Carpio dismissed the “baseless and maliciously false” imputation against him, while Gutierrez and Antiporda, now in government positions, issued separate denials. There has been no reaction from the elusive Chinese national Michael Yang, who faces a congressional arrest order in another drug-trafficking case.

Guban was a “surprise witness”, appearing midway through a