Wycoco suspends Central Visayas head, 5 agents

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Reynaldo Wycoco ordered yesterday the 90-day suspension of the bureau’s Central Visayas director and five agents for the mistaken shooting of six employees of the Plantation Bay Resort in Mandaue City, Cebu last Dec. 13.

"As I have previously mentioned, we will not tolerate any wrongdoings of our personnel, and the investigation will continue. The probe on the administrative aspect of the case is ongoing, even as the criminal side of the case is being handled by the police," Wycoco said.

Suspended were Central Visayas director Romulo Manapsal, senior agent Angelito Magno, and special investigators Arnel Pura, Ray Tumalon, Danilo Garay and Teodoro Saavedra. Manapsal went on leave after the incident.

Wycoco, meanwhile, said he got word that the Ombudsman has approved the six-month suspension of Manapsal and the five agents.

He said their investigation showed that there was probable cause in the violations of the rules on engagement and the standing policy on the use of confidential agents.

The NBI recalled the appointments of all confidential agents last July 31.

Reports said confidential agents took part in what witnesses described as a "near-massacre" of the Plantation Bay employees whose Mitsubishi L-300 van was chased and fired at because it befitted the description of a drug supplier’s vehicle.

Earlier, Wycoco assured the Plantation Bay management that there would be no "whitewash" in the probe of the shooting.

He also welcomed the filing of multiple frustrated murder and attempted murder charges against the five NBI agents by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. Manapsal was named as an accessory.

Wycoco said they have identified six civilians who took part in the shooting in violation of the NBI’s policy on the use of confidential agents. The CIDG included two civilians — radio reporter Paul Lauro and trader Joey Cal — among the respondents.