Officials of condo where Vhong was mauled to decide on release of CCTV footage to NBI – security agency

Officials of the security agency hired by the condominium where actor-TV host Vhong Navarro was allegedly mauled on Jan. 22 said they cannot release a copy of the closed circuit television  footage, logbooks, and other documents being asked by the National Bureau of Investigation, a television report said Saturday.

In a statement, security agency United Megaforce Security Services Inc. said the documents needed by the NBI for its investigation purposes belong to the condominium Forbeswood Heights.

Model-stylist Deniece Cornejo, who rented a unit in the condominium, is among several people being charged over the mauling of the actor.

"The CCTV footage, logbooks, and other documents... are all properties of our client condominium. We are not allowed to release these documents and other information without the consent of our client," a report on "Balitanghali" quoted portions of the statement.

Moreover, the security agency said: "We have already cooperated with the NBI. The statements of our guards were already taken by the NBI office last Jan. 27, and additional statements will be given on Feb. 03 as per NBI subpoena."

"Our guards have reported to Taguig police on 3 instances for the purpose of submitting themselves to investigation, this was last Jan. 27, 29 & 30," the statement added.

On Wednesday, the Taguig City police said they will file charges against the building administrators and security agency hired by the condominium.

Police chief Senior Superintendent Arthur Felix Asis said Megaforce's failure to inform authorities of the incident denied investigators the chance to properly secure the possible crime scene and to preserve evidence.
 
Asis also said the condominium administration and Megaforce Security are still denying police access to Cornejo's condominium unit.

On the other hand, the security agency said it has put in place a standard security procedure in handling cases similar to the incident.

"However a peculiar circumstance in the said incident is that one of the involved parties is an occupant herself (Ms. Deniece Cornejo) who gave information and instructions to the guards, which the guards believed to be legitimate," it added.

"We will continue to cooperate with government authorities in their investigations, without compromising the privacy and interest of our client Condominium," the agency said. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG, GMA News