Martial arts expert offers to train NBI agents

A kickboxing expert who served as a bodyguard to Hollywood stars may soon train National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents to improve their skills in hand-to-hand combat.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring said yesterday Steven Tran had offered his services, “but right now, nothing is final. Hopefully within the week, we would be able to talk to him again.”

Mantaring said it was during the bureau’s celebration of its 71st anniversary last Nov. 14 when Tran was introduced to him by one of his friends, but they were unable to arrive at any agreement since he had to attend to several guests.

Mantaring said that Tran, who was born in Vietnam but grew up in Australia, would be able to give lessons in other martial arts “to improve our defensive tactics.”

He was informed that Tran is a welterweight kickboxing champion in Australia and holds a fifth dan in taekwondo and a fourth dan in hapkido.

Tran once worked as a security officer before he became a bodyguard of Hollywood actors such as Pierce Brosnan, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Robin Williams and singer Michael Jackson. – Evelyn Macairan