Is Palace behind De Lemos’ stay?

National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas director Medardo de Lemos was supposed to be replaced yesterday by former regional head Romulo Manapsal but the scheduled turnover of command did not take place.

Last May 21, NBI national deputy director Reynaldo Esmeralda, in a fax message, informed both Manapsal and de Lemos about their turnover ceremony yesterday, June 2.

But the turnover that supposed to be held at 2 p.m. was aborted.

There were unconfirmed reports that the “intercession” from Malacañang stopped the turnover.

A reliable source, who refused not to be named, said that NBI national director Nestor Mantaring called up Manapsal informing him of the “status quo,” which means that de Lemos will remain as NBI-7 head while Manapsal is still current director of the NBI office in Southern Mindanao.

The source, however, refused to elaborate the reason behind the status quo.

Despite the Palace-intercession yarn, five Cebu congressmen wanted Manapsal to replace de Lemos as director of NBI-7.

Representatives Eduardo Gullas (first district), Ramon “Red” Durano (fifth district), Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (sixth district), Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north district), and Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south district) wrote Mantaring that they were interceding for and on behalf of Manapsal’s transfer back to NBI regional office in Cebu.

The congressmen stated in their letter that they were informed that the S.O. was held in abeyance, prompting them to suggest to Mantaring to let Manapsal finally return to the Cebu post.

“His transfer would have been a welcome development since Atty. Manapsal is a fellow Cebuano. Hence, we reiterate our support for Atty. Manapsal and request his reinstatement be effected soonest,” the letter reads.

Manapsal, regional director of NBI-7 from 2001 to 2003, actually received last May 12 from Mantaring the Special Order number 001624 series of 2008, re-assigning him back to NBI-7 and replacing De Lemos, effective last May 15.

The May 12 order transferring De Lemos did not explain the reason of the shakeup but agency sources speculated that it may have been related to the raid the NBI, under De Lemos, did on the warehouse of businessman Regan King in Mandaue City last April.

This was the third time that Manapsal’s supposed re-assignment to Central Visayas did not push through. The first and second times were during the term of Esmeralda, the former NBI regional director.

The Freeman tried to call De Lemos for comment but he was not available as of press time. Manapsal opted not to be interviewed and Mantaring is still out of the country.

On May 2003, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas ordered Manapsal suspended for six months due to a botched anti-drug operation by his men on Dec. 13, 2002 that wounded at least five Plantation Bay Hotel employees who were mistaken by his men to be drug suspects.

The employees were almost killed after NBI agents headed by Arnel Pura allegedly opened fire on the van they were riding from Mandaue City to Cebu City. The van was hit 73 times.

The Ombudsman found Manapsal administratively guilty of simple misconduct, a finding that was disputed by his lawyer, Inocencio dela Cerna. After his suspension, Manapsal was transferred to NBI regional office in Butuan City then to Davao City. — /RAE