POLITICIANS IN 'HOT' CAR BLACK BOOK FACE SMUGGLE PROBE
(Photo is loading... Businessman Lynard Allan Bigcas answers questions about the contents of his black book during a House hearing yesterday. BOY SANTOS)
MANILA, MAY 17, 2011 (STAR) By Jess Diaz and Sandy Araneta - At least one governor, two mayors and a Customs official named in the so-called black book of suspected Mindanao car smuggler Lynard Allan Bigcas are facing probe by the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI).
Their names surfaced yesterday when the House subcommittee on Customs chaired by Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas confronted Bigcas about his black book, which the latter described as his diary.
Listed in the document are a governor Jalosjos, a Bullet Jalosjos, a mayor Ali, a mayor Dimaporo, a colonel Pimentel, a Boy Plaza, and Noah Dimaporo, who is deputy customs collector in Cagayan de Oro City.
Bigcas did not say, nor was he asked, who exactly were the two Jalosjoses – whether he was referring to Zamboanga Sibugay Gov. Rommel Jalosjos and Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Seth Frederick Jalosjos, whom friends in the House call Bullet.
"We want to know if they are buyers of the stolen vehicles or firearms since Mr. Bigcas is also into the sale of high-powered firearms and ammunitions," NBI Northern Mindanao Regional Director Jose Justo Yap said.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier requested the NBI to look deeper into the recovery in the Philippines of the stolen high-end big bike of Hollywood screenwriter Skip Woods.
Yap said they are digging deeper into the transactions between the officials and Bigcas whose properties in Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon yielded several firearms and ammunitions. NBI agents raided Bigcas' houses last May 3.
Charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions have been filed against Bigcas in Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon. The seized firearms were either unlicensed or had expired licenses.
Bigcas has sued the NBI agents who conducted the raids. He also sought the return of the seized vehicles.
The FBI said at least 11 of the 29 vehicles seized in the raids were stolen, including Woods' Martin Bros. Harley Davidson motorcycle.
It was the search for Woods' stolen $80,000 big bike that led to the discovery of the luxury vehicles in Bigcas' Mindanao houses.
"It is his right to file a case," said NBI chief Magtanggol Gatdula, referring to Bigcas' suing the NBI raiders.
"Then he can air his side. And we can also give the side of law enforcement," Gatdula said.
He maintained that the raids conducted by his men in Mindanao were legal operations and covered by search warrants. He said they have a strong case against Bigcas.
Yap said the FBI sent a letter to the NBI dated May 10 attesting to Bigcas' illegal acquisition of the vehicles.
"So he will be charged here in the Philippines and in the United States in connection with the stolen cars and big bikes," Yap said.
He said they are seeking the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of Bigcas. He said he would be tried in a local court and if found guilty would be extradited to the US after serving time in Philippine prison. He is also expected to face trial in the US.
Floating status
Meanwhile, Bureau of Customs chief Angelito Alvarez said Dimaporo has been on floating status since last week due to his possible links to the alleged smuggling activities of Bigcas.
Dimaporo is acting deputy collector for operations and administration of the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT).
Dimaporo is also the Special Assistant for Mindanao Monitoring of the Office of the Commissioner.
Alvarez has reassigned Dimaporo to the Office of the Commissioner, in Manila's Port Area.
"This order shall take effect immediately and shall last until revoked," Alvarez said.
BOC-Enforcement Security Service (ESS) Director Nestorio Gualberto said that Dimaporo "has been placed on floating status because at the time that the vehicles reportedly arrived in the country, it was believed that he was assigned at the Port of Cagayan de Oro."
"He might have been relieved to not influence the conduct of the investigation and that if he has something to do with it (smuggling), he would not be
able to destroy evidence that would help in the investigation," Gualberto added.
"This means that the vehicles coming in should have passed by him. The processing of the vehicles was his (Dimaporo's) responsibility," he said.
The BOC earlier pointed out that some of the "hot" cars were allegedly registered at the satellite offices of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), which were not authorized to register imported vehicles.
Gualberto said the NBI has taken the lead in the investigation and that BOC's role is to assist through submission of pertinent documents including copies of the Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD), copies of documents obtained from the LTO, and a certification from BOC-Cagayan de Oro District Collector Anju Castigador that there had been no record of importation of the vehicles. With Evelyn Macairan
Bigcas grilled at House, decries lost business By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star) Updated May 17, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Suspected vehicle and firearms smuggler Lynard Allan Bigcas made a tearful denial of the accusations against him during a House committee hearing yesterday.
In an opening statement, Bigcas told the House sub-committee on Customs chaired by Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas that he was not dealing in stolen vehicles.
"I am a victim here. This whole thing even almost cost my life because the authorities launched a manhunt for me. They called me a terrorist, but I didn't do anything illegal. I am not a bad person," he said.
He said he came from a poor family and went to the US in 1997 with P6,000 in his pocket given by his father. He said it was his uncle who paid for his plane ticket.
"I worked hard, I worked long hours in the US to be able to save money until I put up a moving company in Houston, Texas. Last week, I lost my company and my employees because of this controversy," he said.
Bigcas added that he was a motorbike enthusiast and had joined motorbike competitions.
"I love them (bikes), I worked to have them. They are like trophies to me. When I was a child, I didn't have a bicycle," he told the committee.
He said he was willing to part with his bikes and vehicles "as long as I get my freedom and my safety back."
In the course of making his statement, he became so emotional that he could not speak, prompting Fariñas to declare a short break so he could regain his composure.
In yesterday's hearing, Bigcas' so-called "black book" was also presented. The names of at least one governor, two mayors and a Customs official were listed in the "black book," which Bigcas described as his diary.
The names of a Gov. Jalosjos, a Bullet Jalosjos, a Mayor Ali, a Mayor Dimaporo, a Col. Pimentel, a Boy Plaza, and Noah Dimaporo, who is deputy customs collector in Cagayan de Oro City, were in the black book.
Bigas did not say, nor was he asked about, the exact identities of the Jalosjoses. The governor of Zamboanga Sibugay is Rommel Jalosjos while Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Seth Frederick Jalosjos is called Bullet by his friends in the House.
Responding to Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez's questioning, Bigcas said no congressman or government official is protecting him.
"Certainly not, your honor. You are not even mentioned in my diary," he said.
He said officials mentioned in his black book were his customers for bike and car parts, which he bought in the US and shipped to the Philippines through balikbayan boxes.
Bigcas, who is a green card holder and had lived in the US, said he did not pay taxes on the spare parts since he knew that balikbayan boxes are tax-exempt.
His "diary" also listed collectibles from his customers. For instance, there was P200,000 due from a Gov. Jalosjos and P150,000 from Boy Plaza.
Fariñas said collectibles in one page totaled P2.1 million.
Also listed in the suspected car smuggler's black book are guns, gun parts and conversion kits.
Fariñas said five firearms are listed under the name of a Mayor Ali.
He said the guns include an AK-47, an AR (possibly Armalite rifle) and an FN 5.7 (a Belgian firearm) worth a total value of more than $14,000.
There is also a note opposite the mayor's name that says, "250k down," which could mean that there was a P250,000 down payment, he said.
Under Noah Dimaporo's name, there were entries about bike parts and Daewoo (South Korean industrial firm) guns and ammunition.
The entries under Bullet Jalosjos were about parts for Toyota sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
Committee members said Bigcas apparently dealt in guns, in addition to bikes and parts for bikes and cars.
This was denied by Bigas, who admitted that he had only brought in bikes and not firearms. "I was into bikes, not guns," he said.
He said the entries in his diary about guns and parts were just inquiries from his friends.
"They inquired how much these would cost them if they bought these in the US, since they know that I lived there. I researched the prices through the Internet and informed them about these," he said.
"But I never brought in guns or gun parts," he assured congressmen.
Fariñas and his colleagues also could not believe Bigcas' claim that he did not know that 11 of the 20 bikes and SUVs seized by the police, NBI and US Federal Bureau of Investigation agents from his two houses were vehicles stolen in the US.
The stolen vehicles include an $80,000 big "chopper" bike owned by screenwriter Skip Woods.
The FBI reported that Woods' bike was stolen in Houston, Texas, where Bigcas used to live and operate a moving company, in January this year.
But Bigcas said he bought the bike from a Gregg Cook in Beaumont, Texas three years ago for $30,000.
He said Cook claimed he was the vehicle's first owner, though he didn't check the claim and the bike's registration papers.
"I didn't think that a bike worth $30,000 would be a stolen vehicle," he said.
He said he dismantled the bike, "chop-chopped it and shipped it here through balikbayan boxes."
The FBI discovered the bike when Bigcas posted it in his Facebook account along with some of his other bikes.
"I posted it because I was proud of it, it was like a trophy for me. I was not selling it. If I knew it was stolen, why would I post it? I am not that stupid," he said.
The bikes and vehicles are still with the NBI and the police in Cagayan de Oro, except for Woods' "chopper," which the NBI had turned over to the FBI.
Committee members questioned the turnover, saying the big bike was part of the evidence in the case the authorities might file against Bigcas who, so far, is only facing charges for illegal possession of a shot gun and ammunition.
He promised to furnish the Fariñas committee with documents on the vehicles seized from him. He has petitioned a Cagayan de Oro City court to order the NBI and the police to return the vehicles.
----------------------------------------------------------
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
----------------------------------------------------------
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------
