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Monday, February 06, 2006
Cops maul 7 NBI agents
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
ABOUT 15 members of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) in Pamplona, Negros Oriental reportedly mauled seven of the eight agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Bacolod Saturday afternoon.
The mauling happened arose after the NBI agents served a warrant of arrest against a Korean national.
Cebu City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Simeon Dumdum had issued the arrest warrant against Ha-Hei-Bong, a well-known businessman in the said town, for illegal possession of firearms.
NBI-Bacolod agent-in-charge Philip Pecache said his men coordinated first with the Pamplona Police Office (PPO) and the officials of Barangay Poblacion.
Three policemen including a policewoman from PPO and the poblacion's barangay officials escorted the NBI men to the suspect's house.
But when they were inside the compound of the house of Bong, Pecache said, the policemen asked his men to wait for a while.
Minutes later, about 15 policemen reportedly from the Negros Oriental Police Office led by a certain Senior Inspector Julius Muñez arrived.
Right there and then, Pecache reported, the policemen started kicking his men while pointing their guns at them. The NBI operatives were also asked to raise their hands and lie flat on the ground. They were disarmed and hit with armalite rifles.
Of the eight operatives, NBI-Bacolod cartographer Henry Arellano was able to escape and immediately texted Pecache about the incident.
"I immediately called up Chief Superintendent Eduardo Gador, Police Regional Office 7 director and told him of the incident. Gador then called up Negros Oriental Police Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe and instructed him to settle the mess," said Pecache.
He also relayed the information to his NBI-Dumaguete counterpart, Dominador Cimafranca, about the incident.
Fortunately, a rescue operation was then conducted and the NBI men where immediately rushed to Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital.
But Pechache said the policemen-suspects chased his men even at the hospital. This prompted the rescuing officers to transfer the hurt NBI operatives to Silliman University.
Pecache later asked for an ambulance assistance so that his men could be transferred to a hospital in Bacolod.
An operative, whose name Pecache is withholding for security reasons, is set to be operated for a damaged spinal column.
The agent's family and relatives were not informed of the incident yet.
Kidnap-for-ransom
Pecache said his men said the Negros Oriental policemen had mistaken them as kidnap-for-ransom men.
This is allegedly despite the fact that they showed complete documents to prove the validity and legitimacy of their operation.
"We have the court's order and we coordinated with the policemen and barangay officials of the area," he said.
Bad blood
According to Pecache, Muñez has allegedly had a "bad blood" with the NBI people.
This was after Muñez was allegedly charged of murder by the NBI operatives in Dumaguete City.
"That probably triggered his anger against my men. The incident served as an opportune time for Muñez to retaliate against the NBI," added Pecache.
He, however, stressed he will seek justice for his men.
Pecache said they would file charges in court against the offensive party. This include obstruction of justice, assault against person in authority and frustrated murder.
(February 6, 2006 issue)
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