NBI agent in shooting case faces another probe

An officer of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) who figured in a shooting incident in Manila last Friday walked out of jail after posting a bail of P12,000 for charges of grave threats.

Assistant Manila City Prosecutor Virginia Fabe ruled that Eric Isidro y Cipriano (not Augusto Eric Cipriano y Isidro as earlier reported by the police) could only be charged with grave threats because it was his companion Tato Ampatuan who shot the victim Judy Agustin. Isidro was also not charged with illegal possession of firearms after he presented a permit to carry firearms outside of residence dated 1996, and signed by the late NBI Director Santiago Toledo, which the police said, is still valid. But Isidro is not yet off the hook as NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco said he plans to summon Isidro to his office to explain the incident and why he was in Manila, when he was supposed to be in Cotabato, where he is officially detailed.

"We’ll summon him to explain his side. We want to know why he’s in Manila when he’s supposed to be in Mindanao," Wycoco said.

The NBI is looking into the case and might consider the dismissal of Isidro.

Fabe recommended P24,00 as bail bond against Ampatuan, the alleged gunman for frustrated homicide. "Ampatuan was not charged with a separate case of illegal possession of firearms, which is considered an aggravating circumstance in the shooting incident," Fabe said.

Manila police arrested Isidro and Ampatuan Wednesday night following a shooting incident that stemmed from a traffic altercation at the corner of San Marcelino and Escoda streets in Manila.

Western Police District-Special Operations Group (WPD-SOG) chief Senior Superintendent Ernesto Ibay said they filed charges of frustrated homicide, illegal possession of firearms and grave threats against the two.