Barbers case not a foiled kidnapping, says NBI

BATANGAS CITY — There is no intention to kidnap Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) general manager Robert Dean Barbers or any member of his family, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday.

A report from the NBI provincial office said Barbers simply figured in a traffic altercation with the suspects who happened to be in the uniformed service.

Barbers, for his part, said he is not aware of any final report coming from the NBI.

He said he will meet with NBI regional director Reynaldo Esmeralda next week to discuss the issue and the results of the investigation, and will not issue any statement in the meantime.

In a three-page investigation report, the NBI-Batangas said Barbers and his family had a traffic altercation with a certain Airman 2nd Class Nino Virtucio on the provincial road in Barangay Lalayat, San Jose, Batangas in the morning of Feb. 10.

The report said Virtucio was driving his Ford Laser when Barbers tried to overtake him several times.

The attempts apparently irked Virtucio who decided to confront the van driver who turned out to be Barbers.

Virtucio gave chase and cut off Barbers, who later alighted from his vehicle with a drawn gun.

Investigation showed Virtucio introduced himself as a member of the military in an attempt to appease the official.

The fuming Barbers reportedly hit Virtucio on the back of the head.

"For 15 minutes I flashed my headlights to signal that I would overtake, but the van (Virtucio’s) with no license plate kept on blocking my path," Barbers was quoted in the report.

Virtucio reportedly sought the help of his brother, Police Officer 1 Jun Virtucio, who happened to be living nearby.

The Virtucios later chased Barbers but the PTA official immediately boarded his vehicle and sped off toward Bauan town.

Documents gathered by the NBI revealed that PO1 Virtucio sent a flash alarm to the provincial police headquarters to look out for the gold-colored Ford Explorer with an armed occupant heading toward Bauan town.

The Virtucios had no idea at that time that they were chasing Barbers, a top government official, according to the NBI.

The Virtucio brothers also sought the help of a friend, Geronimo Mendoza, and they boarded his Mitsubishi Adventure van (WKJ-917) to chase Barbers. They later caught up with him in Barangay Maghinao in Bauan.

There, PO1 Virtucio, who was shirtless but armed with his service firearm, alighted from the van and confronted Barbers.

The commotion caught the attention of radio broadcaster Ben Aclan who filmed the event with his cellular phone.

Aclan, apparently thinking it was a kidnapping attempt, bravely confronted PO1 Virtucio and demanded that he identify himself.

But the policeman backed out and proceeded to the Bauan police station to report the incident. His brother and Mendoza also hurriedly left the scene.

Barbers also went to the Bauan police station to report the incident and saw PO1 Virtucio and Mendoza there.

Barbers accused PO1 Virtucio and Mendoza of attempted kidnapping which warranted the investigation by the NBI.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez earlier ordered NBI Director Nestor Mantaring to investigate the allegations of Barbers against the Virtucios and Mendoza.

Mantaring instructed NBI Region 4-A Director Generoso Matulac in Batangas to personally handle the case.

Barbers claimed the incident was a foiled kidnapping but police believed otherwise, prompting both sides to refer the case to the NBI three days later.

Barbers, however, did not file any kidnapping complaint against the Virtucio brothers.

But he charged PO1 Virtucio with illegal possession of firearms in violation of the Omnibus Election Code. The policeman was later released after posting P12,000 bail. – With Helen Flores