Suspended NBI exec denies CIDG claims

CEBU CITY — There is still no documentary or testimonial evidence that can link suspended National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regional director Romulo Manapsal to the botched operation that nearly killed six employees of the Plantation Bay Resort last Dec. 13.

This is the contention of Manapsal in his counter-affidavit on the multiple frustrated murder and attempted murder charges filed against him and five of his agents with the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed the charges against Manapsal and NBI agents Angelito Magno, Arnel Pura, Danilo Garay, Rey Tumalon and Teodoro Saavedra in connection with the Dec. 13 drug operation which resulted in a "near-massacre" of the six Plantation Bay workers.

Also charged were confidential agents Paul Lauro and Joel Cal and 12 John Does as alleged principals by direct participation.

Last Dec. 23, the Ombudsman ordered the six NBI personnel to be placed under six-month preventive suspension.

But in his counter-affidavit, Manapsal denied the CIDG’s allegation that he refused to cooperate with the police by concealing the names of the NBI confidential agents.

"My response to that claim by the CIDG is that it is a lie and a deliberate and malicious attempt to drag my name into the controversy to cover up for their ineptitude and laziness in conducting an investigation," Manapsal said.

He alleged that the CIDG did not conduct any investigation at all as he was not given the chance to present his side, nor was any of his staff and agents questioned by the CIDG in connection with their supposed probe.

He said he never attempted to identify only the five regular agents nor did he attempt to hide the identities of the confidential agents since he did not have the names of the other people involved when he conducted a press conference on the same day the incident occurred.

Manapsal said he even created a special committee within the bureau to investigate the NBI agents who were involved in the incident.

"This is very basic in investigation and due process which the CIDG has forgotten in their lust for blood and an ill-attempt at public perception that CIDG has solved the matter," he said.

On allegations that he allowed the presence of confidential agents despite the August 2002 order of NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco revoking the authority to maintain civilian agents, Manapsal said the bureau no longer hired civilian agents until the day of the incident.

He said that if ever the team of NBI agent Arnel Pura employed civilian agents during the Dec. 13 operation, then the move "was in exercise of sound discretion and a judgment call."

Manapsal said he could not give an intelligent answer to the CIDG’s allegation that he allegedly obstructed the investigation by suppressing the records of the NBI agents.

He said that as contained in the affidavit of the NBI administrative officer, there is no record in their office of any CIDG request relative to the records of the NBI agents.

Manapsal reiterated that the Dec. 13 drug operation was a legitimate one, saying it was a continuation of a buy-bust the previous day and that he personally requested authority from their higher office to conduct the buy-bust.

The Plantation Bay workers were aboard a Mitsubishi L-300 van similar to the one identified by an arrested female drug pusher as the vehicle of her drug supplier.

The NBI agents tried to flag them down but because the resort workers had no way of ascertaining whether they were robbers or not, they sped away.

The NBI agents gave chase and fired at the van, seriously wounding five of the six resort workers. — Freeman News Service