NBI lacks subpoena in case vs. Loots

CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation-Graft Division is still waiting for the subpoena to be issued by the Office of the Ombudsman over the criminal cases filed by the latter against Daanbantayan Vice Mayor Maria Luisa Loot and her husband, Sr. Supt. Vicente Loot, former chief of Cebu Provincial Police Office.

Allan Contado, who heads the said division and was the one who conducted the lifestyle check on the Loots yesterday, said that they already submitted evidence to Ombudsman-Manila but these documents will also be forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas who will conduct the investigation and hear the case.

Contado also clarified that the NBI is a professional organization and denied insinuations that he or the agency was being paid to go after the Loot couple.

Contado, who is also the NBI spokesperson also said that when this issue came out in several newspapers a few months ago, he was accused of “hiding” somewhere else but he clarified that he was in the United States attending a seminar from April 4 to June 13.

Earlier, NBI charged the Loot couple for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection with alleged unexplained wealth involving over P106 million.

Aside from violation of Section 7 in relation to Section 8 of RA 3019 Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the couple were also charged with violation of Section 2 of RA 1379 (Forfeiture of Unlawfully Acquired Property), violation of Section 8a of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and violation of Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code as amended (falsification of public documents).

The vice mayor was not available for comment yesterday. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)