NBI gets wrong man in Caloocan

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested yesterday a man in Caloocan City, whom they thought was Eduardo "Boy" Iran, alias Boy Muslim, the alleged killer of former Antique governor Evelio Javier.

Fernando Ralston was immediately released by the NBI after experts examined his fingerprints, and found out that he had no criminal record.

"Ralston’s facial features and built may have resembled to that of a notorious criminal, but his fingerprints were not," said an NBI agent.

"It’s a good thing that we followed the procedure by lifting Ralston’s fingerprints before presenting him to the media because the man turned out to be innocent and clear of any criminal records."

Lawyer Marianito Panganiban, chief of the NBI-Special Task Force, said Ralston’s facial features and built was "similar" to that of Iran, who has been implicated in a number of bank robberies.

Panganiban did not allow reporters to interview Ralston.

"He will be released after the Dactoloscopy Division cleared him of any criminal charges," he added.

NBI agents arrested Ralston in his home at Capital Park Homes, Camarin in Caloocan at 7 a.m. yesterday.–Cecille Suerte Felipe