NBI guard kills agent in gun duel

MANILA, Philippines - A National Bureau of Investigation jail guard killed an NBI agent during a shootout that followed a heated argument over the transfer of custody of a detainee at the bureau’s headquarters in Manila before dawn yesterday.

The Manila Police District (MPD) said that according to a witness, NBI agent Ablezer Rivera, Special Investigator 3 Honorado Ocampo, 43, was supposed to turn over Albert Villaseca to the NBI’s jail division – manned by four to five guards – at around 1:50 a.m.

Villaseca, a lawyer, was arrested in Imus by NBI-National Capital Region (NCR) agents for allegedly duping several buyers of properties in Cavite. He has been charged with large-scale and syndicated estafa.

A source said jail guard Oscar Cabebe, 57, was actually assigned to the witness protection program, not the jail division. The guards at the NBI jail division refused to accept custody of Villaseca since the warrant for his arrest was left in the NBI-NCR office.

Ocampo sent his fellow agent to the NBI-NCR office to get the warrant, but continued to argue with the jail guards. The source said Cabebe intervened in the argument, which led to the gun duel.

Ocampo and Cabebe used their NBI-issued .40 caliber Taurus pistols in the duel. Ocampo died at the Philippine General Hospital after being shot in the torso, while Cabebe was treated at the Medical Center Manila for gunshot wounds in the left little finger and right leg. Cabebe, who is facing homicide charges, is under tight security at the hospital.

 No cops, please

Police officers said the MPD’s homicide section received a telephone call at around 3 a.m. from PGH security guard Rodrigo Mendoza, who reported that Ocampo died. After notifying all the offices concerned, Police Officer 3 Rodel Benitez and Senior Police Officer 2 Virgo Villareal went to the NBI to investigate.

Senior Inspector Joselito de Ocampo, MPD homicide section chief, said though the shooting happened before 2 a.m., the NBI only allowed police officers into the compound at around 9 a.m.

De Ocampo said since the victim’s widow, Ma. Gloria Ocampo, asked the NBI to investigate, the official investigation and filing of charges would be made by the bureau and not the MPD.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, however, said the MPD has the jurisdiction to investigate all crimes in the city.

He issued the statement when asked for his reaction to reports that the NBI allegedly refused to allow MPD police officers to investigate the shooting. NBI officials denied the allegations, saying they allowed the police officers to enter the compound later yesterday morning.

Lim – himself a former NBI director and Manila police chief – said the case should still be handled by the MPD and that the NBI should coordinate with the police.

NBI Director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas denied there may be a whitewash or bias in the investigation since both Cabebe and Ocampo are with the NBI.