THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed criminal charges against a suspect involved in the drug case of detained former senator Leila de Lima and six of its agents who were arrested midnight of Tuesday after the detainee slipped out of his detention cell.
John Adrian “Jad” Dera is charged with corruption of public officials, while the six NBI agents who helped him sneak out of his detention center were slapped with charges for violation of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
“This is the first step toward doing that, holding them liable, though we are not stopping here. Di naman puwede na sa baba lang ang mananagot. Alam naman natin na di sila kikilos ng walang basbas mula sa higher authority,” Jose Dominic Clavano, spokesman of the Department of Justice (DOJ), told reporters after the inquest proceedings.
An inquest is done to determine whether an individual arrested will be released on account of a dismissal of charges, released for further preliminary investigation proceedings, or charged in court but signed a waiver of detention and asked for the conduct of preliminary investigation.
Clavano said the chief of the NBI’s Security Management Section, whom he did not name, has been relieved from his post and added that more NBI personnel could be charged amid the ongoing investigation into how Dera was able to sneak out of his detention cell.
“Aside from him (chief) being relieved from his post, I don’t know exactly the disciplinary action but there will be civil, criminal and administrative cases to be filed,” he also said.
He said the ongoing probe will also check if it has become a practice of some NBI security officers to escort their detainees out of their detention cells and back without first asking for a court order.
Clavano said the DOJ is confident that investigators will gather more evidence on or before the next hearing scheduled on June 29.
“We are working na makuha ang dapat makuha tulad ng mga statements at CCTV footages (We are working on gathering all the evidence that we can get, including statements and CCTV footages),” he said, adding that the vehicle used by the NBI agents to escort Dera “has no trip ticket.’
“So, we can assume it was not sanctioned by any office order or any purpose other than to leave,” he added.
Confiscated from Dera and his escorts were money, firearms, cellphones, and personal stuff in a black sling bag.
Clavano said around P100,000 in cash was seized from the group, made up of 78 pieces of P1,000 bills and more than 200 pieces of P100 bills.
Raymond Palad, Dera’s legal counsel, on Wednesday said his client’s trip outside of the NBI was for a medical check-up.
Palad said Dera was escorted by the NBI security officers using a marked vehicle, adding that his client has been brought several times to the hospital due to health concerns, which he said can be verified through hospital records.
Yesterday, lawyer Mark Anthony Te, who accompanied Dera during the inquest proceedings, reiterated Palad’s claim and said Dera was not feeling well due to gastritis or acid reflux and asked his NBI jailers to rush him to a hospital.
He said there was no more time to seek the court’s permission as it was an emergency case.
“Bale, masama ang pakiramdam niya. Kinailangan niya lumabas at nagpaalam siya sa mga NBI personnel, so pinagbigyan naman siya. Ang importante dito hindi naman siya tumakas. Bumalik siya siguro after three or four hours (He is not feeling well, so, he asked the NBI agents to allow him and his request was granted. The important thing is he did not escape. He returned to the NBI after three or four hours),” he said, though he admitted that he did not know exactly whom Dera asked for permission from the NBI and what hospital he was brought to.
Te declined to comment on reports that Dera was out on a date. “Wala po akong information diyan (I have no information about that),” he said.
Clavano assured Dera and the six agents they will be afforded due process, including the services of a lawyer.
During Thursday’s inquest, Dera was assisted by Te, while the NBI agents did not have the assistance of a counsel.
“They will be afforded due process. We hope that by the next hearing on July 29 they will be accorded the services of a lawyer,” Clavano said after the Public Attorneys Office (PAO) refused to represent them.
Dera is among the co-accused of De Lima in the remaining drug case filed against her before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court.
Aside from this, Dera is also accused of allegedly being a bagman of suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., though Clavano said he did not have any information on Dera’s link to the lawmaker who has been named as the alleged mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo.
