Says PNP claim based on “unverified reports”
(Eagle News) — The National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday said it was contemplating filing charges against the Philippine National Police for announcing the alleged involvement of three NBI agents in a kidnapping scheme even if the information was “unverified.”
In a statement, NBI director Dante Gierran said based on a report from the NBI regional director and acting assistant regional director of the NBI-Central Luzon Regional Office, which has jurisdiction over Angeles Pampanga, all NBI agents assigned in the province are “accounted for.”
“The report, likewise, stated that there was no NBI operation conducted in the area…that was participated in by any NBI agents or personnel of CELRO or any of the district offices which involved a Korean citizen being apprehended or being forcibly taken into custody and detention on the date of the incident where the victim, Lee Jung Dae, was kidnapped,” he said.
Gierran said all NBI agents “adhere to a high standards of ethics,” and that the NBI implements “stringent policies and procedures in the conduct of operations.”
“(We express) deep concern over the statement of the PNP Chief relative to the involvement of NBI agents, which are all unverified reports by the PNP-Anti Kidnapping Group,” Gierran said, noting that when the PNP implicated three NBI agents in the kidnapping of Korean national Jee Ick Joo in 2016, they were exonerated by the Department of Justice.
“In view of this, the NBI is now studying the filing of charges against the PNP for issuing statements to the media based on unverified reports the statements of which destroy the high credibility of the NBI,” he said.
On Monday, PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa said in a press conference that Lee had been kidnapped by fellow Koreans who were aided by three NBI agents and Bureau of Immigration operatives.
He said Lee was rescued by PNP-AKG operatives from a vehicle parked in the BI premises in Manila on Saturday.
