MANILA - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Tuesday admitted it only had circumstantial evidence in claiming that about a ton of shabu slipped through the Bureau of Customs through four magnetic lifters that were found in Cavite.

In a hearing at the House of Representatives, the Bureau of Customs disputed PDEA’s claim that that a ton of shabu, which was allegedly traced to a warehouse in Cavite, is now in circulation.

The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs began its motu propio investigation on this new allegation of drug smuggling—which comes a year after the chamber also investigated a P6.4-billion shabu haul.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino skipped the hearing, leaving his subordinates to face the questions of lawmakers.

Adrian Alvarino, director of PDEA in CALABARZON, linked the shipments seized in the Manila International Container Terminal and in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite because they had the similar circumstances.

"Ito pong sa BOC and sa GMA Cavite, masasabi po natin na linked because of bill of trading because indicated sa Decaba Trading address ng consignee is the same," he said.

Alvarino said further investigation by canine units confirmed there were dangerous drugs in the shipment found in Cavite.

Alvarino said that the forklift operator who helped unload the metalic cylinders recognized the similarities between those he unloaded and those seized in the port of Manila.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, chairman of the House panel, pressed PDEA if there was shabu found in Cavite, to which Alvarino replied: "Wala po sa swabbing natin."

"All indicators point to the situation na droga yung laman ng metallic lifters, said Ruel Lasala, PDEA deputy director general for operations.

Lasala pointed out the similarities between the shipments.

He said they had drug-sniffing canine check the cylinders, and the dogs sat, "indicating the presence of illegal drugs."

"Nung makatanggap ng impromasyon sa GMA Cavite natagpuan yung 4 na cylindrcal metallic lifters, kaparehas sa MICT, pati bukasan. May bukasan, maliit, saan nilagay shabu. Meron ding filling materials at meron ding aluminum foil," he said.

A group of Chinese individuals went to the Cavite warehouse to close and to ensure that no one else will see it, he added.

"Na-report sa amin forklift operator, suspetsa rin niya yun. Parehas na parehas: yung bill of trading na prinovide sa amin, yung addressed, Decaba," he said.

Ismael Fajardo, PDEA Deputy Director General for Administration, reported the agency’s receipt of information and case build up regarding the seizure of dangerous drugs in MICT.

However, Lasala admitted there was no shabu, based on laboratory testing in Cavite.

"We join our director general in his stand na drugs ang laman ng metallic lifter. Taking into consideration all the circumstantial evidence gathered, wala yung body of crime. Droga ang body of the crime," he said.

"Sa lahat ng circumstantial evidence na nakalap namin, ang laman noong metallic lifter ay droga. Siguro talagang namumumroblema tayo dito. Di kamukha ng maraming seizure na andiyan droga, yung body of crime, we're saying yung contents noon droga," he said.

PDEA’s admissions prompted a call by Sultan Kudarat Rep. Horacio Suansing to call on PDEA to recant its statement.

"I think its only fair for BOC for PDEA should issue a recantation of the news article, sasabihin lang na mali pala. Based on the drug test done by PDEA Region 4, wala naman pala droga," he said.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena maintained there was no shabu seized in Cavite, only in the port of Manila.

Lapena said that PNP and PDEA laboratory tests in Cavite yielded negative results.

He also disputed the claim that a ton of shabu is circulating.

“The allegation that 1 ton of shabu is circulating in the market has no basis based on the result of laboratory analysis both from PDEA and PNP 4 magnetic lifters have no presence of dangerous drugs," he said.

Lapena, however, could not explain the similarities between the containers in MICT and Cavite.

An exasperated Quimbo said, “Kailangan namin ng malinaw na paliwanag. You are disputing the statement of another agency (PDEA). Hirap din po ireconcile yung dalawang iyun.”