THE OFFICE of the Ombudsman issued a statement on Tuesday, Nov. 07, saying it would investigate the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China that passed through the Bureau of Customs (BoC) last May.

“The Office of the Ombudsman has created a panel to conduct a fact-finding investigation into alleged anomalies in the release of P6.4 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu,” through the green lane of the Bureau of Customs,” the brief, two-paragraph statement reads.

The statement added that the investigation “is in line with the President’s recent pronouncement for independent agencies to investigate the matter.”

President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Oct. 31 said he is leaving the investigation of his son Davao City Vice-Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte and son-in-law Manases “Mans” R. Carpio to the independent agencies.

The younger Mr. Duterte and Mr. Carpio were linked by opposition Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV to the so-called Davao Group, allegedly behind smuggling and illegal drugs. Both Messrs. Duterte and Carpio denied the allegations against them in their appearance before a Senate inquiry. — Rosemarie A. Zamora

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