NBI probes 5 agents accused of mauling cop

MANILA, Philippines – Five agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are now under investigation for allegedly mauling a Manila policeman during a traffic altercation in Manila, last October 29. But Elizardo Beltran of the NBI Internal Affairs Division was the only one named on Thursday by Ric Diaz, chief of staff of the Office of the Deputy Director for Intelligence Services. An NBI intelligence team led by Diaz was tasked to investigate the incident. Beltran was the one who had a traffic altercation with Police Officer 3 Rodolfo Arellano, assigned to Station 3 of the Manila Police District (MPD). In his complaint to the MPD, Arellano said it was Beltran who was driving the Mitsubishi Pajero that cut him as he was driving his motorcycle on his way home on Tayuman Street in Tondo. The cop chased the Pajero and accosted the driver, whom he later identified as Bermudez but turned out to be Beltran. Beltran introduced himself as an NBI agent. A heated argument followed, which ended with Beltran calling for backup through his cell phone. Four other NBI agents arrived. Arellano said that he was about to run but he was cornered and beaten up by the four responding agents. The four agents reportedly dragged the cop into the Mitsubishi Adventure they were riding and brought him to the NBI Anti-Graft office on Taft Avenue in Ermita, Manila. On Thursday, the NBI said the four agents are members of the NBI Anti-Graft Division. Arellano did not accuse Beltran of beating him up, but said it was Beltran who argued with him and called for the four agents who beat him up. "Attorney Beltran is with the IAD, so the IAD cannot handle the probe," Diaz, head of the investigating team, said. "So our team was tasked to look into the case. It won't look good if it would be the IAD to handle the probe." Arellano said Allan Contado, chief of the AGD, was not involved in the mauling and even gave him a T-shirt so he could change his clothes at the NBI office. According to Diaz, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno asked the NBI to probe the incident. "Arellano was badly injured and Puno felt pity for him,” Diaz. Diaz added that they still have to get the testimony of two or more independent witnesses to get a better account of what really happened. “Our NBI operatives have their own story and the policeman has his own story and some would say the policeman was drunk at the time and even told Attorney Beltran to remain in his car or else he will shoot him. So we need independent witnesses’ accounts,: Diaz said. Earlier, the MPD director, Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales, had also gone to the office of NBI Director Nestor Mantaring regarding the matter. The MPD director took along with him the policeman, whose face was swollen. "The NBI and the MPD threshed out differences as both are law enforcement agencies to correct all misdemeanors of both offices," Rosales said, after stepping out the office of Mantaring. Mantaring assured Rosales of a fair investigation of the incident. - GMANews.TV