A Dededo husband and wife tandem who are business owners had involved themselves in illegal activities such as smuggling and bribery together with corrupt public officials of Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency or GCQA and Department of Revenue and Taxation Alcohol and Beverage Control for many years.
The couple, identified as Ruel Valencia and Lydia Valencia, were mentioned in the sworn statements of defendants and the indictment filed before the District Court of Guam.
The Indictment names 7 public government officials who pled guilty of their respective federal charges.
According to the documents from the court, the couple admittedly said that they had given cash, airline tickets, and other material goods as bribes or cash rewards to the disposed public officials for favorable illegal deals. The public officials and officers involved in the crime are:
Henry Alvendia and Frank Cruz, both Lieutenant of GCQA; Jesus Paulino, Tommie Pablo, Glen Crisostomo all three are Customs officer with GCQA; John Garrido and Gerald Salas Compliance Officer Alcohol and Beverage Control of Department of Rev and Tax.
The other three civilians associated in the bribery and smuggling charges are Al Kenneth Constantino, Becky Cruz, and Ruel Valencia.
The ten are scheduled for their hearing in January and February of next year.
The tandem couple are both from the Philippines and owners of JUNVI Corporation that operates three local businesses in Dededo – the Valencia Wholesale and Retail, Valencia Check Cashing Services, and Cabalen Fastfood Corporation.
Court documents show that Ruel Valencia gave a total amount of $37,000 of cash and other things of value such as food and goods to the agents involved, intending to influence and reward them for a transaction or series of transaction of the GCQA.
The alleged bribe given by the Valencia couple was for the federal agent’s “Hard-days-work” in allowing containers to be unloaded in Guam illegally and free of taxes. The containers were documented to have come from the Philippines, (where the Valencia couple came from) that mostly contains booze or liquor, cigarettes, lighters, bags and other merchandise knock-offs’. These merchandise will be later available in Valencia Wholesale and Retail store, a business owned by the couple in Dededo.
The 10 defendants signed a plea-guilty agreement under the federal law of Guam.
Valencia who were indicted separately also pled guilty also of “bribing an agent concerning a program receiving federal funds,” according to court documents. All other offenders involved have also admitted conspiracy to defraud and to deprive honest services, according to their signed plea-guilty agreements./The Junction News Team
