NBI investigator denies negotiating with suspect

CEBU, Philippines - National Bureau of Investigation-7 special investigator Arnel Pura denied the allegations of a man arrested for alleged extortion that he tried to negotiate for his release.

Pura said he never negotiated with Samuel Latorre and neither offered nor asked for P100,000 for the immediate release of the latter.

He said what Latorre did in filing a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas was a clear and simple harassment.

It was Maria Elizabeth Sato, who filed a complaint before the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office against Latorre, she asked for the assistance of the NBI after she received threats.

Sato said Latorre went to her house and demanded P1.2 million and threatened her if she will not give him what he wanted.

Last April 7 Latorre was arrested in an entrapment operation in the house of Sato.

Sato added she did not owe Latorre P1.2 million and said she only agreed to give him P100,000.

But Latorre said he was just framed by Sato, a regular guest at the Mactan Casino, who owes him P1.2 million. He said Sato borrowed money from him after she lost big at the casino.

He said, Sato did not go back to the casino for quite some time and evaded paying her debt.

Latorre said on April 7, 2011 he was invited by Sato to her house in Pacific Villa I, Lapu-Lapu City, with the promise she would pay an initial P100,000.

In his excitement, he immediately went to the house of Sato and when he opened the envelope it contained only P2,000 in real bills, the rest were paper. This was when he was arrested by the NBI

Latorre claimed Pura wanted to give P100,000 as settlement for the alleged debt of Sato and not to proceed the filing of the case but Latorre refused.

He added Pura forced him to sign a certification that he was not threatened.

Aside from Pura, Latorre also filed administrative and criminal complaint against NBI personnel Dr. Rene Cam and Xerxes Baladya.

Pura is also planning to file a case against Latorre for the malicious accusations.   - (THE FREEMAN)