BM Sison: It’s economic sabotage and terrorism
LINGAYEN—Second District Board Member Raul Sison wants President Duterte, the Senate andCongress to conduct separate investigation on the operation and protectors of the factory of fake cigarettes that was raided by joint elements of theNational Bureau of Investigation (MBI) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue(BIR) last week in Barangay Portic, Bugallon.
“I ask the Senate of the Philippines led bySenate President Tito Sotto, Senator Grace Poe who is Pangasinense, (please don’t fail us), Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Chairman on Agriculture, SenatorRichard J. Gordon, Chairman on Blue Ribbon Committee, Senator JV G. Ejercito,Chairman on Health together with The House of the Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Gloria M. Arroyo to conduct a Senate and congressional inquiry into the subject matter which can be categorized as a form of economic sabotage and terrorism, and whose magnitude of impact on the lives of the people, economy and health is extremely high,” Sison said.
Sison was supposed to deliver his privilege speech on Dec. 3 but failed to do so due to lack of quorum after four board members suddenly left the Capitol Building prior to the start of their session for unknown reasons.
Failing to deliver his speech, Sison called for a press conference to talk about the recent raid conducted by the BIR and NBI on Nov. 28, 2018 in Barangay Portic, Bugallon that led to the discovery of a factory of fake, untaxed and toxic cigarettes involving billions of pesos.
An estimated P2.5-billion worth of fake cigarettes and machines were seized while five Chinese and 23 other Filipino workers recruited from the Visayas andMindanao were arrested in a raid conducted by joint elements of NBIIntellectual Property Rights Division and the BIR in Barangay Portic, Bugallon that used a piggery as its front.
Sison said he is earnestly seeking the help of the president to intervene in the matter so it can be addressed with dispatch.
“I’d like you to know that Barangay Portic is where the command post of a triumvirate is positioned. The territory is under their control. They have their residence in the place. There is also a piggery business that served as a front and cover for the illegal factory, ostensibly registered in the name of a dummy, a certain Dong or Danilo Calugay,” Sison said.
A mission order from the BIR for the conduct of the raid was under Dong Calugay’s name.
Calugay, a former policeman reportedly filed his certificate of candidacy for the position of mayor of Sual.
“I know this man (Calugay). I used to go to Barangay Portic . He is like a son to(5th District) Congressman Amado T. Espino Jr. and a brother to Gov. Pogi Espino and Bugallon Mayor Jumel I. Espino,” Sison said.
He said to build and operate a cigarette factory entails huge sum of money. He said based on experts’ estimate, one needs P500-million as capital to build such cigarette plant.
“Mr. Calugay has no financial capability to do so. The truth is, a big syndicate is behind this factory,” he said.
Calugay, however, strongly denied in a radio interview over DWIZ Dagupan that he is the owner of the property that was raided. He said it was under the name of his brother named Danilo Calugay who leased it to someone.
Sison said the fake cigarettes’ factory operation will not last several years unless it has protectors or influential people running it.
“This is one dark chapter in the story of our beloved province and people,” he said.
Sison said, “We need to do something and we must act with courage. As the saying goes, “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing”. No one is above the law!”
In a separate written statement given to newsmen during a press conference Calugay called over the weekend, it said, “Bagama’tang pangalang Dong Calugay ang nakasaad sa pinag-basehang search warrant ay wala po akong kinalaman sa bagay na ito (Although the name Dong Calugay was the one mentioned in the search warrant that became the basis (of the raid) I have nothing to do with it.”
He insisted that it was his brother Danilo Calugay who owns the lot and the warehouse that was raided.
He added that he has nothing to do with the agreement forged by his brother and the lessee of the warehouse (of fake cigarettes). He said he has no participation in his brother’s agreement with the lessee of the property. (PhilStar Wire Service)
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