NBI probed for raid on envoy’s condo

MANILA, Philippines - Six National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents are facing investigation for reportedly raiding an Iranian diplomat’s condominium unit in Makati City during an anti-money laundering operation early this month.  

A report obtained by The STAR stated that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) intelligence and security office head Amable Tolentino directed the Southern Police District to launch an investigation into the case involving agents from the NBI’s cybercrime division.

Tolentino’s order was in response to a note verbale lodged by the Iranian embassy on Dec. 6 to protest the raid on the unit of its third secretary, Hossein Nadi, at the Salcedo Park Tower 1 on Dec. 3.

Security guards from the Utopia Security and Safety Solutions confirmed the NBI raid.

In the note verbale, the Iranian embassy said three agents – part of a 15-man team – barged into Nadi’s unit but found no evidence of allegations that Nadi was engaged in illegal financial transactions.

The Iranian embassy said Nadi and his family were watching television when agents barged into the unit, terrifying its occupants.

A separate report by security personnel said the 15-man team raided six units in search of evidence that its occupants were violating Republic Act 8484, the access devices regulation law.

The team, armed with six “individual search warrants,” were led by Special Agent Victor Lorenzo, Reonel Balgos, Anthony dela Cruz, Joey Narciso and Christine Hernandez, the security personnel said.

One unit was vacant while two were searched but yielded no evidence. Unit 23-A, occupied by Chinese Wenxin Su, yielded two laptop computers and two cell phones, the report said.

The security personnel said the NBI agents were not accompanied by barangay officials or police officers “to witness the implementation of the search warrant and ensure that no unit owners or tenant will be arbitrarily arrested (and) no other units not specified in the warrant may be subject of erroneous raid.”

The DFA report said Nadi’s unit was not among those identified by the search warrants.