NBI forms 12-man team to investigate Sato ambush

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Reynaldo Wycoco formed a 12-man team to investigate the slay attempt on Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato last week.

In a special order, Wycoco said the team will be composed of men from the different divisions of the NBI, including National Capital Region (NCR) under lawyer Edmund Arugay, Special Action Unit (SAU) under lawyer Vicente de Guzman and Anti-Organized Crime Division (AOCD) lawyer Ferdinand Lavin.

The NBI director tapped the Batangas Regional Office in Region 4 under George Jurabal to head the team that would investigate the foiled ambush.

Local police filed charges against leaders and members of the New People’s Army (NPA) for the ambush try. The case was based on the admission of the rebels, through a telephone call, that the attack was their handiwork.

However, an NBI agent said that there is no concrete evidence that would link the communist rebels to the attack.

"Why would a case be based on a mere telephone call? Charges should be filed against the perpetrator of the crime and not the institution they belong," the agent explained.

He said a number of people have already signified intention to cooperate with the bureau. — Cecille Suerte Felipe