NBI chief goes on leave as kidnap probe set

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Magtanggol Gatdula has gone on a 30-day leave to give way to a probe by a Department of Justice fact-finding panel into the alleged kidnap for ransom of a Japanese national by NBI agents.

Gatdula has been implicated in the alleged kidnapping of 33-year-old Noriyo Ohara,  who was reportedly arrested and detained by agents of the NBI Security Management Division (SMD) and was allegedly asked to fork over P100 million cash.

In a memorandum dated Dec. 15 addressed to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Gatdula  stated: “In the past few days, I have been pilloried  before the public relative to the case of Ms Ohara Noriyo, who was taken into custody by the security management division.”

“Unpleasant insinuations have been recklessly hurled against the undersigned (Gatdula) which in no way help in preserving the venerable image of the bureau, a very professional law enforcement and investigative institution,”  he said and asked that he be allowed a 30-day leave “to enable the department to proceed with its investigation unhampered and free from accusations of bias and influence.”

He recommended NBI Assistant Director Medardo de Lemos to act as officer in charge of the bureau for the duration of his leave.

Gatdula has declined media interviews on the reason for his decision to voluntarily go on leave.

Prior to the investigation of the DOJ panel into the alleged kidnapping, Gatdula relieved and placed on floating status NBI-SMD chief Mario Garcia and his executive officer Jose Odellon Cabilan after they allegedly attempted to extort P100 million from Noriyo.

Noriyo reportedly arrived in the country to evade  the Japanese Yakuza but was arrested on Oct. 28 in Bugallon, Pangasinan, and detained at the NBI for alleged violation of immigration laws based on the allegations of members of her foster family.