MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima denied yesterday that the files on the mysterious death in 2002 of former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado’s live-in partner are missing from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
In a text message to The STAR, De Lima said the NBI has not investigated the death of Raquel Ambrosio.
“There are no NBI files to talk about simply because no investigation was conducted by the NBI relative to that 2002 death,” she said.
“If there was no investigation, there can be no files that may be said to be missing.”
Reports about the “missing NBI files” or “disappearance of such files” were simply “inaccurate and misleading,” De Lima said.
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) believes the disappearance of the case folder on Ambrosio’s death is part of a deal with Mercado for him to testify against Vice President Jejomar Binay.
UNA interim secretary-general JV Bautista said only the Department of Justice (DOJ) has the power to remove records from the NBI.
“It’s just suspicious that the records on the death of Raquel Ambrosio at the NBI went missing after it was revealed that that incident happened at Mercado’s condominium,” he said.
“It is only the DOJ that has access and authority over the NBI. I hope Secretary Leila de Lima has a good excuse as to why the records of Raquel Ambrosio all of a sudden disappeared from the NBI vaults. “There are still questions surrounding the mysterious death of Mercado’s live-in partner and now the NBI is saying that the records are missing. How convenient can that be?”
Bautista said if high-profile cases suddenly disappear in the NBI, it could also happen to other sensitive cases involving pro-administration lawmakers being investigated in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
“This is clearly in exchange for Mercado’s testimony in the Senate – let us not fool ourselves,” he said.
“This is a high-profile case where Mercado is implicated. We have yet to hear a satisfactory answer from Secretary De Lima.
“The straight path they have been telling us is actually crooked. If you are an ally of the administration and have a pending case, the records on your case will suddenly disappear. The truth is being distorted and concealed to protect their allies.” – With Helen Flores