NBI can’t investigate media exec’s death

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday that it cannot conduct a separate probe into the death of magazine publisher Delia Gutierrez contrary to earlier news reports because the case is already with the Makati City prosecutor’s office, which prevents them from intervening.

Supervising Agent Arnel Dalumpines, NBI-Special Task Force chief, said they have kept their hands off into the case of 51-year-old Gutierrez, publisher and chairwoman of Media G8way Corp.

Her husband Ibarra, 57, editor-in-chief, president and chief executive officer of Media G8way, has allegedly been accused of killing her. He was charged with parricide before the Makati City prosecutor’s office.

"Even if we are willing to take on the case, we cannot conduct an independent investigation because it is already being heard in the fiscal’s office in Makati," Dalumpines said. The case was reportedly referred to the NBI by the office of Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr.

Last Wednesday, Ibarra Gutierrez, accompanied by his five children, visited the NBI-STF office to make a follow up.

"He refused to subject himself to a polygraph test with the Philippine National Police (PNP), who was the first one to conduct an investigation, but he was even willing to let the NBI do a polygraph test on him," Dalumpines added.

However, they could not push through even with the test because the case is already being heard by the prosecutor’s office, which will determine if a preliminary investigation and a trial are warranted.

"Even the employees of the publishing company were willing to give their statements to the NBI to help shed light in the investigation," Dalumpines said.

Delia Gutierrez was found dead in the toilet of her Makati City office last Sept. 6. Her throat was lacerated and she had multiple stab wounds in different parts of the body.

Makati police filed charges against the husband but his lawyer argued that the evidence against him were circumstantial.

Ibarra Gutierrez denied the allegations, claiming that he found his wife already dead and figured that she might have committed suicide. But police crime scene investigators, after having analyzed the victim’s wounds, said she could not have possibly killed herself.

The victim’s family had sought an NBI investigation, skeptical that the victim’s husband was involved.