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Saturday, September 24, 2005
Fake NBI men seen in Capiz
By Ruby P. Silubrico and Jay Dooma Balnig
THE Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 revealed they have spotted the group, who pretended to be from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and confiscated computer disks from several offices last Wednesday.
The PRO6 information disclosed that a black Pajero where the group is onboard, was seen in a town of Capiz, and was heading towards the direction of Roxas City.
The group eluded the Capiz Police Provincial Office (CPPO) personnel that chased them.
Meanwhile, NBI 6 Regional Director Oscar Embido led his men in monitoring the possible exits of the said group, which includes the seaports and airports.
According to reports, the group victimized some Internet establishments and government offices in the province of Antique.
Last Wednesday, they were at the municipal offices of Passi and Dumangas.
The members of the group reportedly introduced themselves as agents of the NBI and the Optical Media Board (OMB) and they were there to check if the software being used in the offices' computers were licensed.
They also asked for P50,000 if the owner does not want their hard disk taken.
However, Embido clarified that there's no such group from the regional and even the Manila NBI and the OMB that was tasked to conduct said raids.
Embido said that group was a fake and was a syndicate.
The NBI 6 and the PRO 6 warned all establishments to immediately report the group's presence to the nearest police station.
Last Wednesday, Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. issued a letter to every municipal mayor, informing them that these men were fake.
"We verified from Director Embido and the NBI in Manila and they said they are not conducting said operations here," Tupas said over Aksyon Radyo.
Operations
Members of Iloilo City Internet Cafe and Providers Association (Icicpa) claimed the raid was a hoax.
Manuel Monarca, president of Icicpa in an interview, said that as of Thursday, there was no single businessman or institution in Iloilo City that reported that they were victimized.
Since the news of raiding NBI agents broke out last week, "more than hundreds of their members decided to voluntarily shut their operations for fear that they might be the next target of the raid," said Rosalind Porral, chairperson of Task Force Adams Apple who was present during Monday's meeting with Icicpa and Mayor Jerry Trenas.
The said news, "created a tremendous effect on us and it's very dangerous," Monarca's statement read.
Probe
Icicpa wants Senior Superintendent Norlito Bautista to conduct a thorough probe on the said raids to erase doubts and fear among the establishments.
They claimed that the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) should have made a move after the reports spread over the airwaves.
"They PNP should have validated the reports," Monarca added.
Bautista, however, claimed that it was only last Wednesday when he heard the report over the radio.
He added that no one informed him or lodged their complaints at the ICPO.
He said that upon learning the news, he immediately instructed all his precinct commanders to place in custody any team that's claiming to be members of the NBI or the OMB, for verification.
Protect
Lawyer Victoria Benedicto, an executive of the OMB, commented that the panic among establishments here was a sign of guilt.
But, she reminded Ilonggos to protect themselves from the fake agents.
"The inspecting team should present an inspection order or a search warrant. They should also identify themselves. If they don't and they ask for money, for sure, they're fake. If ever something is taken from you, be sure that they issue an inventory receipt," she said.
She, however, urged Ilonggos to use licensed software adding that the use of unlicensed software or piracy is a violation of Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code.
Apart from that, erring establishments can also be sued for violating a new law, Republic Act 9239 or the Optical Media Act.
A computer is considered an optical media equipment, Benedicto added.
(September 23, 2005 issue)
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