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Four officers of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) face criminal charges for allegedly torturing three gasoline boys in Iligan City last year. In an 11-page resolution, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the filing of the charges over the incident that occurred in July 2009. Those charged were:
lawyer Eric Distor, officer-in-charge;
supervising agent lawyer Rodrigo Bangi;
special investigator Froilan Grajeda; and
special investigator Danilo Cabanlet, all of the NBI’s District Office in Iligan City. Grajeda faces five counts of Dereliction of Duty, while Distor, Bangi and Cabanlet face two counts each. Distor was also charged with three counts of Slight Physical Injuries. The Ombudsman also ordered the conduct of a separate preliminary investigation for Maltreatment of Prisoners against the four respondents. The case stemmed from the complaint filed by:
Christopher Lumongsod;
Charlie Lumongsod, and
Jade Mark Briones. They were pump attendants of a gasoline station owned and managed by Barry Baguio. The three gasoline boys claimed that July 25, 2009, Baguio accused them of manipulating the sales of fuel, using unaccounted balance slips. Baguio allegedly brought the three to his office where he supposedly mauled them in the presence of Grajeda. That evening, the pump boys were brought to the NBI District Office where Baguio allegedly hit them with a wooden paddle. Distor, Bangi, Cabanlet and Grajeda were supposedly present at the NBI office at the time of the paddling. On July 30 last year, Distor allegedly got mad when he discovered that the complainants had sought assistance from the Commission on Human Rights. He supposedly slapped Briones on the face four times, and held the heads of Christopher and Charlie tightly downwards. He allegedly also ordered the three pump boys to perform humiliating, degrading and inhumane punishments while he and the other respondents were having a drinking spree inside the NBI District Office. In its resolution, the Ombudsman ruled that there is “probable cause to indict Respondents Distor, Bangi, Cabanlet and Grajeda of the crime of Prevaricacion or Dereliction of Duty" considering that they, “as public officers, did nothing to prevent the infliction of physical abuse on the persons of Complainants." AOn the charge of Slight Physical Injuries against Distor, the Ombudsman said the said crime was committed when the he “held the heads of Complainants Charlie and Christopher, all surnamed Lumongsod, tightly downwards and slapped the face of (Briones) four times." – VVP, GMANews.TV
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