Gatdula denies involvement in Esmeralda ambush

MANILA, Philippines - Former National Bureau of Investigation director Magtanggol Gatdula denied yesterday allegations that he was involved in the ambush of NBI Deputy Director for Technical Services Reynaldo Esmeralda months ago.

Abraham Espejo, lawyer of Gatdula, said they have not received a copy of the complaint and Justice Secretary Leila De Lima is using the media to destroy Gatdula.

“Why a press conference? They want my brother Ka Gatdula to be tried by publicity. It is very likely that it was a publicity stunt for election purposes,” said Espejo.

“All of this was done against the tenor of a court order that was issued earlier. Moreover, the PNP was investigating the ‘ambush me’. And the PNP had a different finding. I am very sad for Ka Gatdula,” said Espejo.

De Lima announced on Thursday that frustrated murder charges would be filed against Gatdula and 12 others for the ambush of Esmeralda last Feb. 21 in Manila.

De Lima said that aside from Gatdula, the 12 others were Tyrone Ong, Perfecto Villanueva, Ronnie Ong, Ramoso Ramos, Alfredo Compoc, Teodoro Abendano, Ricky Dacillo, Gerry Farillon, Jose Maglalang Jr., Gino Eustaquio, Aljun Monticlaros, and Alvin Monticlaros.

De Lima told a press conference at NBI headquarters that Gatdula and the 12 other suspects were charged before the DOJ with two counts of frustrated murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Article 6; with treachery, evident premeditation and use of illegal firearms.

Suspects Villanueva, Ramos, Compoc, Abendano, Maglalang, and the Monticlaros brothers were arrested while the rest remained still at large.

De Lima said no warrant of arrest had been issued against Gatdula and Ong, owner of Izumo Contractors Inc.

She said that based on the testimonies of the arrested suspects, Gatdula and Ong planned the ambush of Esmeralda who was injured together with his brother Police Officer 3 Nilo Esmeralda.

De Lima said that the ambush may have something to do with the NBI clearance system contract since the alleged mastermind, Ong, is identified with Strategic and Comprehensive Consultants Inc. (SCCI), a firm that has a joint venture with Realtime Data Management Service Inc. (RDMS), the service provider of the bureau in the NBI clearance project.

The ambush at around 7:30 p.m. along Apacible Street in Paco, Manila, near the house of Esmeralda while he and his brother Nilo Esmeralda – also assigned at the NBI deputy director for technical services office – were on their way home.

The ambush was allegedly intended to silence Esmeralda who is said to be delaying the payment of the NBI to the service provider in the bureau’s clearance project.

The NBI allegedly owed Ong P150 million for the services rendered.

De Lima said that Esmeralda had ordered the replacement of SCCI-RDMS joint venture as NBI’s service provider.

Espejo said that the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), which has a membership of about 6 million nationwide, are saddened over De Lima’s alleged partiality on the cases involving Gatdula.

“Is she (De Lima) fighting us? Does she know that she is going against our institution?” said Espejo who is also legal counsel of INC.

Espejo also said the INC members are angry with De Lima whom they alleged is taking it “personally” against Gatdula.

“If she is running for senator, is she aware of what she has been doing to our brother?” he asked.

Espejo warned De Lima that she should be wary of all her actions.

“We will question her neutrality in handling and dealing with all the cases of Gatdula,” Espejo said.

“I have already been asked by close-in lawyers to study the charges against Ka Gatdula,” said Espejo.

He pointed out that they have a “strong line of defense” to controvert all the allegations hired against the former NBI director.

NBI agents arrested suspect Villanueva during a drug entrapment operation in his house in Sta. Mesa, Manila where the law enforcers recovered the Olympic Arms rifle 5.56 mm used in the ambush.

The NBI said several bullets recovered in the house matched the slugs used in the ambush.