NBI willing to file bribe raps vs Ecleo

CEBU CITY — If necessary, the National Bureau of Investigation is willing to initiate or stand as complainant in bribery charges against cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr.

This, even after Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. said a probe must first be made before bribery charges are filed.

NBI regional director Rey—naldo Esmeralda said Ecleo can be charged with bribery based on his public admission that he gave money to his jailers.

Last Monday, a surprise inspection of Ecleo’s cell yielded at least half a million pesos in different currencies, musical instruments, a chainsaw and other power tools, among other items.

Esmeralda, however, said that while his office is willing to take the initiative in filing bribery charges against Ecleo, it cannot do so because the Office of the Ombudsman has taken cognizance of the case.

The Ombudsman is conducting a probe of Ecleo’s admission that he had given money to jail guards of the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center here.

Esmeralda said that should the case be referred to them, the NBI will initiate the complaint.

City chief prosecutor Jose Pedrosa earlier said giving money to jailers is punishable because it constitutes an act of bribery. — Freeman News Service