Complaints pile up vs Jaylo’s men — NBI

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to file within the week additional robbery-extortion charges against agents of the Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force (AIR-TF) even as more complainants continue to come forward.

Agent Allan Contado, of the NBI-Intelligence Special Operations Division (ISOD), said yesterday that since the arrest of 11 AIR-TF agents in an entrapment operation last Oct. 12, their office has been swamped with complaints.

"Since last month, we have entertained more than 30 complainants. We will definitely file charges of robbery-extortion against the suspects and there may be additional charges of arbitrary detention against policemen or serious illegal detention against the civilian agents," Contado said.

The additional charges would be filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Contado said it was still uncertain if AIR-TF Director Reynaldo Jaylo would be included in the charges.

The NBI said they are still going through several documents, including bank certificates of complainants to determine where cash withdrawals were made. "There are also corroborating statements of other witnesses, from whom the victims borrowed money to raise the money needed to pay the AIR-TF," Contado said.

He noted that just yesterday two new complainants went to the ISOD office and narrated how the AIR-TF tried to extort money from them.

"We also received calls from representatives of several travel agencies based in Metro Manila. They would also drop by our office, claiming that they were also victims of extortion," Contado said.

Last Nov. 4, the NBI raided the AIR-TF office and apprehended eight additional personnel. They were charged with usurpation of authority and serious illegal detention.

AIR-TF detainees, who were earlier arrested by Jaylo’s group, have been relocated to the NBI facility.

Last Oct. 26, NBI Deputy Director for Intelligence Service Edmund Arugay forwarded to the DOJ a report detailing complaints made by relatives of detainees of the task force.

The NBI said the AIR-TF, previously known as the Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force, was a bogus law enforcement agency and had no mandate to make arrests.

Authority given to the presidential task force expired last July 9 and has not been renewed by President Arroyo.