Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Nalzaro: Lesson for the NBI By Bobby Nalzaro Saksi
I WAS out of town when Judge Fortunato de Gracia granted the motion to quash the search warrant used by the Naional Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to raid the leased warehouse where businessman Regan King stored his imported rice. It was a slap on the face of the NBI.
Though this happened over the weekend, I cannot let it pass without commenting on it considering that it is a hot issue in view of the reported shortage of rice in the country.
In quashing the search warrant, the court gave credence to the evidence presented by King that his importation and storage of the rice was above board despite the conflicting versions of National Food Authority (NFA) officials on the accreditation of the warehouse.
The warehouse is owned by former Cebu Port Authority general manager Mariano C.J. Martinez but leased by Jolli Traders International, a firm owned by the Kings.
The court found that all the papers issued by the NFA were in order prior to the raid. NBI applied the search warrant based on the certification issued by the NFA that King stocked his rice in a non NFA-accredited warehouse.
I don't want to cast aspersion on the motive of the NBI. If I criticized the agency in my previous columns and even suggested that its personnel should apologize to the Kings, it was for them to acknowledge their mistake. They acted on wrong information.
NBI's raid on King's warehouse sparked worries among legitimate rice dealers and importers here. In fact, they threatened to stop importing rice.
If the Kings are involved in shenanigans, they should be apprehended and prosecuted. But from what I gathered, their business is legitimate and they are religiously paying their taxes. It is just proper that government should protect them.
Good that NBI 7 Regional Director Medardo de Lemos acknowledged the error and promised to be more careful in applying for search warrants. He said that he wants senior officers to show better supervision.
Had NBI 7 thoroughly checked the information provided by this inept NFA office, its action could not have triggered a controversy that placed the agency in an embarrassing and compromising situation.
The NBI did not learn the lesson in the botched drug operation that had its elements fire at the van ridden by innocent employees of Plantation Bay several years ago. I hope this recent experience will teach them to exercise more prudence and diligence the next time around.
