NBI nabs Jaylo’s men for extortion

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) apprehended 11 operatives of the Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force (AIR-TF) the other night after they were accused of extortion activities in Pasig City.

NBI Assistant Director Nestor Mantaring refused to divulge details of the arrest, saying that they are still finalizing the information.

The bureau has yet to file appropriate charges against the 11 members of AIR-TF, a unit headed by former police Senior Inspector Reynaldo Jaylo.

Sources said that combined operatives of the NBI’s Intelligence Special Operations Division (ISOD), headed by Head Agent Allan Contado, and the Special Task Force (STF), acting on the complaint of a certain John Hernandez set up an entrapment at a restaurant in Pasig City.

At around 7 p.m., the NBI agents saw Hernandez hand over marked money to AIR-TF personnel, composed of policemen and civilian agents. They were then NBI apprehended the suspects.

They were later taken to the ISOD office.

When reporters went to the ISOD office at noon yesterday, one of the agents requested them to step out before locking their door.

He said the NBI has yet to complete its investigation on the alleged extortion activities.

Jaylo was later seen coming out of the office of Mantaring.

Sources said he met with several NBI officials, including newly appointed Deputy Director for Intelligence Edmund Arugay.

Jaylo, who admitted that it was the second time for him to visit the NBI head office since his men were arrested, said the arrest was a result of "miscommunication" between two law enforcement agencies.

The AIR-TF chief said he first went to the NBI last Wednesday evening after learning that his men were taken into custody.

He clarified that he would not interfere with the NBI’s investigation and that he merely wanted to "thresh out issues" during the visit.

"We are all in the government and we both fight criminals. The arrest is part of professional hazards. They were arrested because there was a complaint against them," Jaylo said.

Arugay said Jaylo was merely justifying their actions.

"They have their reasons and we have ours." Mantaring said, stressing that the ISOD and STF operation had his approval.