NBI agents, 5 others face criminal raps

CEBU, Philippines - Three agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 and five others were sued for robbery, extortion and malicious prosecution before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office and Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office.

The complainant, Engr. Robert Yee, alleged that NBI agents Arnel Pura, Xerxes Baladia and Dr. Rene Cam and private respondents Joan Uy, Pamela Tallo, Mely Golosino, Juniver Berdin and lawyer Mundlyn Martin extorted money from him amounting to P3 million.

The incident allegedly happened on November 9, 2009 when sisters May Rose and Mary Grace Tan, assisted by Berdin, asked P3 million in exchange for them not filing a case for rape against him.

They proceeded in filing the case before the Cebu City and Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office when he declined to give the amount, but the two offices subsequently dismissed the complaints for lack of sufficient evidence.

On April 18, 2011, the complainants filed a Petition for Review before the Department of Justice only to recant their earlier allegations on April 27, 2011 reportedly upon advice of their parents. This gave a window for Yee to file a petition for dismiss, which remains pending before the DOJ.

Yee also based his complaint for robbery, extortion, and malicious prosecution on the withdrawal of the sisters’ earlier testimony.

The sisters said they did not have any knowledge about the extortion but alleged they were used under the other respondents’ direct and collective instruction.

“We were coerced and induced by some unscrupulous persons, Baladya, Uy, Berdin, Pura, Tallo and Cam of extorting money to Yee,” the sisters said.

“The grand planners of the P3 million extortion attempts were Baladya, Uy, Pura, Tallo, Cam, Berdin and Martin coerced and forced me, May Rose Tan and my sister Mary Grace Tan by taking our minority to sign fallacious criminal complaints for rape falsely accusing Yee,” sisters said.

They said they signed the complaint affidavits against Yee because of fear.

May Rose herself said Yee did not rape nor abused her sexually, but the respondents allegedly urged her to file the complaint because the court would believe she was a minor.

In an interview with The Freeman, NBI 7 Assistant Regional Director Lauro Reyes said the case is part of the hazards of the job. Pura, meanwhile, chose not to issue any comment until he receives a copy of the complaint.

The respondents will be made to formally answer the allegations through a counter-affidavit. —/JMO (FREEMAN)