NBI sues Bobby Ongpin for serious illegal detention

The National Bureau of Investigation on Thursday filed a complaint for serious illegal detention, grave coercion and robbery against billionaire businessman Roberto Ongpin in connection with the alleged abduction and “psychological torture” of a former employee.

 

According to the complaint the NBI filed before the Department of Justice, former PhilWeb Corporation staff Eduveges Batalan alleged that Ongpin and several others forcibly brought him in February to an island resort in Quezon, where he was forced to admit stealing millions of pesos.

Serious illegal detention is a non-bailable offense.

 

Batalan alleged that he was brought to the Balesin Island Resort in Polilio, Quezon, where Ongpin confronted him for "stealing millions from [the businessman's] company."

 

"Batalan was informed by Ongpin that the former has been under surveillance for three months and should explain why he has a good house, cars and a pharmacy business," the NBI said in its complaint against Ongpin and the others. 

 

The NBI served as Batalan's co-complainant.

 

"Batalan was threatened to be stuck in the island unless he tells everything. Further he was also threatened that should he not cooperate, he would be charged similarly as that of Josefino Sasat and Brinia Flojemon, former employees of Ongpin who were charged of stealing and misdemeanor," the complaint added.

 

Ongpin's camp has denied the charges against the chair of Alphaland Corporation.

 

"They are false and erroneous. They are nothing but contrived accusations of a disgruntled employee," Ongpin's lawyer Rodolfo Ponferrada said in a statement.

 

Aside from Ongpin, others charged by the NBI were Michael Angelo Patrick Asperin, Josephine Manalo, Ma. Natalia. Cristina Manalo Dalupan, lawyer Cliburn Anthony Orbe, lawyer Carlo Bautista, Rogelio Sulit, and Jerry Peñaflor.

 

Batalan further alleged that he was brought to an area where there was an open deep well. 

 

"Gusto ni RVO [Ongpin's initials] dito kita ilagay eh," Batalan quoted Asperin as telling him.  He added that Asperin gestured that he was to be killed by drowning.

 

Batalan alleged that he was brought to the Balesin Village, where he was "detained in the adjacent room of the Balesin Village Sala."

 

He said he was "interrogated, psychologically tortured and coerced" to sign prepared affidavits incriminating himself and a promissory note.

 

Fearing for his life and that of his family, Batalan said he followed Asperin's instructions that he execute an affidavit admitting that he withdrew P3 million from three bank accounts he personally created for Ongpin's stock market trading activities. 

 

The amount was later changed to P5.3 million, said Batalan.

 

The victim also alleged that he was forced to sign a promissory note requiring him to issue monthly postdated checks amounting to P50 million with an interest of eight percent per annum.

 

On February 7, Batalan was flown back to Manila and was made to prepare a resignation letter inside a restaurant in Makati City. Bautista notarized the resignation letter, said Batalan. 

 

Batalan said he was then made to open a checking account at the Bank of Commerce-Chino Roces Branch in Makati City then was made to issue 48 post-dated checks amounting to P50,000 each and totaling P2.9 million.

 

Batalan also claimed that Orbe took his mobile phones and laptop.

 

The NBI said the victim's wife and daughter, as well as other pieces of documentary evidence corroborated his allegations.

 

NBI agents found out that Carlito Sobrevega, a flight dispatcher at Alphaland Aviation Hangar, made a false statement when he did not include Batalan's name in the passenger manifest during the flight to and from Balesin.

 

Apart from serious illegal detention, grave coercion, and robbery, charges of falsification of official documents were separately filed against some of the suspects.

 

The NBI said that the "subjects have failed to provide the Bureau with any controverting evidence." 

 

The NBI investigation was conducted by its Technical Intelligence Division.

 

Ponferrada confirmed that Batalan had worked for one of Ongpin's companies but accused him of stealing.

 

"But instead of being loyal, he stole money from Mr. Ongpin and his companies. Thus he was terminated for cause (theft and dishonesty)," the lawyer said.

 

Ponferrada said that a criminal complaint of qualified theft has been filed against Batalan as early as February 12. The case is undergoing preliminary investigation, he added.

 

"Clearly, the false and malicious information that Mr. Batalan filed with the NBI are nothing more but his way of getting back at Mr. Ongpin and his company," Ponferrada said. —NB, GMA News