6 NBI personnel, drug suspect face raps

MANILA, Philippines — Six personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation are facing criminal charges after an NBI detainee snuck out of his detention cell on Tuesday night.

Jose Adrian Dera, co-accused in one of former senator Leila de Lima’s drug cases, left his cell reportedly assisted by the NBI agents.

Dera was discovered carrying firearms, cash and other contraband on his way back to the NBI headquarters in Manila on Wednesday.

Complaints for graft and bribery were filed against the six NBI personnel. Dera was charged with corruption of public officials.

According to Dera’s lawyer, Mark Anthony Te, the cash seized from his client amounting to P100,000 was pooled from contributions among NBI detainees for food.

“Inmates contribute money so they can have food,” Te said.

He could not say why the cash was taken outside the NBI facility.

Te also claimed that the money was for Dera’s medical expenses, adding he left the NBI custody for an urgent check up for gastritis.

The lawyer said Dera’s excursion was official and authorized by the NBI, but Department of Justice spokesman Mico Clavano disagreed.

Clavano said the NBI has sacked the head of the bureau’s detention center to make way for an investigation.

“There were no trip tickets reported (under the vehicle they used) so we can assume that it’s not sanctioned by any office order or any other purposes other than just to leave, have dinner and come back,” Clavano said.

Closed-circuit television footage released by the NBI showed Dera eating in a buffet restaurant in Makati with his supposed girlfriend.

But Te said they could not rule out that someone else in the group had requested to dine out.

“The important thing is that he didn’t run away. He came back, maybe after three or four hours,” Te said.