Mantaring asked to probe NBI Cavite: For allegedly receiving bribe from gamblers

MANILA, Philippines - A prosecutor has asked National Bureau of Investigation Director Nestor Mantaring to probe the alleged irregularities in the NBI Cavite office.

Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said the NBI office in Cavite is “receiving protection money from illegal gambling operators and other illegal joints in the province.”

“These allegations if proven true could cast serious doubts in the integrity of the NBI,” said Velasco, in his two-page letter to Mantaring dated June 9.

“Thus, in the interest of efficient administration of the criminal justice system and to protect the good name of the NBI, we reiterate our urgent petition that these very serious accusations be thoroughly investigated.”

The Cavite prosecutor attached in his letter the passbook of a former NBI confidential agent Peter Ignacio, who claimed to be the collector of the Cavite District Office (CAVIDO) of a weekly payola from gambling lords.

Velasco also submitted as evidence the statements of spouses Roderick and Roselily Linao claiming that NBI agents demanded P1 million from them in exchange for dropping the robbery charges against Roderick.

According to Ignacio, gambling lords are forwarding to his bank account thousands of pesos in cash as protection money in exchange for no raids against their establishments.

Those giving protection money at the NBI CAVIDO are those involved in jueteng, cockfighting, sakla and beerhouses.

Its no surprise, Velasco said that the NBI CAVIDO office has not shown any accomplishments in the war against criminality as they only concentrated their efforts in curbing illegal gambling and other vices.

Ignacio said gambling lords and beerhouse operators who failed to give protection money to the local NBI office were raided until they gave in.

Affidavit

The local NBI office, Ignacio said even formed the Information Providers Group Communication, whose members he issued the agency’s identification cards to give teeth to their “tong” collection activities.

Because of bothered conscience, Ignacio resigned from his job and he started receiving death threats prompting him to approach Velasco for help.

Ignacio, who served as NBI confidential agent from 2004 until 2009, alleged that since Supervising Agent Dominador Villanueva assumed his position during the second week of June 2008, the bureau’s operations have been geared towards protection of illegal gambling.

He said in his affidavit, which was subscribed and sworn to before Cavite 2nd Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Rosa Elmina Villarin of Imus, Cavite, Villanueva allegedly ordered them to arrest all illegal gambling operations so that they can have collections, and the others to small town lottery (STL).

While he has apprehensions on the order, Ignacio, however, admitted he merely followed Villanueva being his boss. He then opened a bank account where the collections from gambling operators were deposited.

He recalled that on June 11, 2008, he was informed by Villanueva that somebody deposited in his account collections from jueteng operations in Dasmariñas, Cavite. When he checked his account, Ignacio said he found a P70,000 deposit.

He said Villanueva told him they will use the amount to bankroll their expenses.

Ignacio said this was followed by several other deposits like P10,000 in July 18, 2005 from a certain Labo; P25,000 in July 11, 2008 from Bacoor; P100,000 in July 25, 2009 which was the alleged collection of Ed Karag from the entire Cavite province; and P25,000 in July 29, 2008 from Dasmariñas jueteng.

He said there were several other collections from August until December 2008 which all entered his account number and which he personally handed to Villanueva.

He also remembered that on July 2008, he was ordered by Villanueva to choose people who will get collections from sakla joints, beerhouses and sabong (or cockfighting) in Tanza, Alfonso, Naic, Cavite City, Mendez, Ternate, Maragondon, Noveleta, Rosario and General Trias.

So he got people identified as Albert Poblete, Orlando Novero, Christopher Pulido and Eson Tamio for the job which were all approved by Villanueva.   

But there were some who objected to giving collection money and even demanded IDs from their people. When he informed Villanueva about it, he flared up and ordered him (Ignacio) to surrender his ID to the NBI Manila if he can’t do something about the complaints.