HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo and Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez will initiate a motu proprio investigation against the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for the unlawful and abusive arrest of a 36- year-old employee of J&T express delivery last Dec. 1.
“Gusto nating wakasan yung kultura natin na kapag ikaw ay otoridad o law enforcer at opisyal ng pamahalaan ay hindi na pwedeng kalabanin ng pangkaraniwang mamamayan kahit pa ang mga opisyal ang may kasalanan,” Tulfo said.
Tulfo, personally invited over his radio program Punto Asintado Reload, the operatives of the NBI-Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) involved in the arrest of Michael Bryan Gonzaga, sorter of J&T Express.
Aside from Tulfo, present during the meeting Wednesday morning at his office in House of Representatives were Fernandez, Chair of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, the victim and the seven NBI agents who arrested Gonzaga identified as Special Investigator (SI) IV Marvin Bernard Villardo; SI IV Adjutor Larosa; SI III George Gabinete, SI III Valiant Raganit; SI III Rosauro Dantis; Senior Agent (SRA) Ma. Aiza Arcega Quiambao; and SRA Baden Francis Alonzo.
The NBI operatives were accompanied by NBI Assistant Director Vicente De Guzman.
The case stemmed after the office of Tulfo received the complaint regarding the alleged unlawful arrest of Gonzaga. It was learned that Gonzaga engaged in an altercation over a parking spot with Marvin Joseph Villardo, the son of NBI Special Investigator IV Marvin Bernard Villardo last Dec. 1 in Bgy. Apolonio Samson, Quezon City.
Villardo, upon seeing his son, responded and threatened to arrest Gonzaga. “Naglabas siya ng baril at tinutukan niya ako,” Gonzaga referring to the NBI agent told Reps. Tulfo and Fernandez. Operatives of the said barangay responded to the scene and brought the two warring parties before their office. However, the elder Villardo called his colleagues from the NBI-IPRD and allegedly forcibly took custody of Gonzaga.
He was eventually charged with direct assault and grave threats before the NBI. “Away barangay lang, pero pinuwersa nilang kunin ang pobreng biktima sa barangay na wala man lang coordination sa barangay at yung biktima pa ang kinasuhan,” Tulfo said adding that Gonzaga was detained for at least two weeks before the NBI jail facility in Muntinlupa.
“Initially, marami tayong nakikita na medyo iregular at hindi dapat ginawa ng mga operatiba ng NBI na dapat sana ay sila ang magpapatupad ng batas,” Fernandez for his part, said.
The two lawmakers also noted that NBI-IPRD was not the proper unit to respond to the scene.
“Ang duty ng IPRD ay mag-raid at manghuli ng mga pekeng produkto, bakit sila ang rumesponde at umaresto dun sa nakaalitan ng kabaro nila?,” Tulfo questioned.
The lawmakers insisted that the NBI operatives should allow the barangay officials to resolve the case. For their part, Asst. Dir. De Guzman said, the NBI operatives involved in the said operations were already relieved from their posts pending investigation of the case.
Tulfo said, the erring NBI agents might face administrative charges of grave misconduct, oppression or grave abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service.
Fernandez said, the inquiry, in aid of legislation will be set next week before the Congress.
