Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his brother-in-law Manases Carpio denied being part of the alleged Davao Group involved in the illegal drug trade in the Bureau of Customs.

Duterte told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Hearing on Thursday: "Once and for all, I have now the time to deny any and all baseless allegations against me. My presence here is for all the Filipino people and to all my fellow Davaoe?o whom I serve I am very sorry ...but I cannot answer allegations based on hearsay".

Mark Taguba, a customs broker, named the son of President Rodrigo Duterte as one of the Davao Group saying it was what a certain Nani Cabato said to him.

Carpio said: "I am here to in due respect to the committee invitation and refer to the authority of the senate to conduct inquiries in aid of the legislation. Me and my brother-in-law have been publicly crucified based on rumors and gossip".

Carpio said he and Duterte have been "publicly crucified based on rumors and gossip".

Duterte and Carpio were mentioned in the text messages of Taguba and Nani as allegedly part of the Davao group.

"I haven't filed it yet. All I need for Tito Jack is for either P (Paolo Duterte) or Mans (Manases Carpio) to call collector Vincent Maronilla that we have go signal for our spl (special container)", Taguba saidin a text message to Cabato.

Carpio was tagged in the P6.4 billion worth of shabu from China which passed through Customs. He was seen in the Customs office, said Mandy Anderson of the Office of the Commissioner.

Carpio admitted that he talked to Faeldon to explain the case of a client.

"I am a lawyer by profession and my practice involves representing my clients in courts and other government institutions including the Bureau of Customs . In fact the case I'm working on in the BOC dated back to the administration of President Aquino", he said.

Taguba said he never met Duterte and Carpio in Davao City. He said his statement that Duterte and Carpio were involved in the Davao group was based on what Cabato told him.

"I don't take back anything because ever since I am saying that it is just a hearsay. I was asked before if I met them and I said I did not met them", Taguba said. Alanna Ambi/DMS