Lim’s godson charged with obstruction of justice

Charges of obstruction of justice were filed yesterday against the chief of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim’s special action team – coincidentally also the mayor’s godson – for his alleged failure to name the police operatives involved in an extortion attempt on a gym instructor.

Superintendent Eleazar Matta, chief of the General Assignment Section of the Manila Police District (MPD), said the refusal of Chief Inspector Alexander Navarette, chief of the Mayor’s Special Action Team (MSAT), to identify his men is punishable under the Revised Penal Code, which imposes sanctions against those who obstruct the prosecution and penalizing of offenders.

Navarette said he will face the charges squarely since “I have identified the MSAT operatives involved in the alleged robbery extortion try since day one of the investigation.”

Navarette named Senior Police Officers 2 Juanito Singson and Felix Alquiroz, PO3 Roberto Natividad and PO1 Rogelio Gaddi as among the operatives in the March 30 apprehension of Bernard Cabal, Michael John Gonzales and Nizzar Khan Jannaral who accused the arresting team of trying to milk them of P350,000 in exchange for their release.

The accusation led to the raid by Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) personnel on the MSAT office the following day. SPO3 Ricardo Magbanua and PO2s Edgar Perez and Marianito Navida were arrested by the SWAT team.

In their affidavit of apprehension, the seven MSAT operatives said they acted upon a complaint by Ariel Dionisio, who suffered chest and abdominal pains after taking a steroid supplement he bought from Cabal.

“The arrest of Gonzales and Jannaral was only coincidental after we chanced upon them in possession of a big box containing steroid supplements, which are prohibited,” Perez said.

Navarette admitted requesting GAS investigators to delete the name of Magbanua from the list of suspects since he is the investigator in the case and not part of the arresting team. He instead gave the name of SPO1 Feliciano de Leon to be included in the charge sheet.

MPD director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales was informed through text messages that Navarette misled investigators by giving false names. 

Navarette denied reports that he is on the way out as MSAT chief. Among those being floated as Navarette’s replacement is Senior Inspector Marcelo Reyes, the current chief of investigation and follow-up unit of the District Special Project Unit.