President Aquino: NBI chief Magtanggol Gatdula lost my trust

President Benigno Aquino III said outgoing National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Chief Magtanggol Gatdula had committed insubordination when he failed to turn over to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) a Japanese woman who was allegedly an undocumented alien.

“She’s a foreigner. If the main issue is illegal entry then the proper venue is the Bureau of Immigration,” he stressed.

Mr. Aquino said there were orders for Gatdula to transfer Noriyo Ohara to the custody of the BI but failed to do so.

“That to me is insubordination. Now, at the end of the day, the head of the principal agencies will be a person who has our trust and confidence,” President Aquino told reporters. “The trust is no longer there,” he added.

Told of an alleged lack of due process accorded to the former NBI director, President Aquino said a preliminary investigation had already been completed on the case.

“Preliminary investigation has already been completed. The point here is, based on the investigation conducted, there were several occasions that (Gatdula) was informed either by the media or the Secretary of Justice herself and others of the question of Ohara being detained at the NBI,” President Aquino said.

Fleeing Yakuza

Ohara, 32, fled to the Philippines in 2009 to escape the Yakuza, often referred to as a Japanese criminal syndicate, who had killed her father and was out to get her, too.

She had been living with the Marzan family in Pangasinan when he was allegedly kidnapped by NBI agents and detained at the NBI.

The Marzans claimed later that an NBI official extorted money from them for Ohara’s freedom. Despite the payments of huge sums, the Japanese woman was not released. The Marzans then sought the help of the media which exposed the kidnapping.

President Aquino had ordered Gatdula sacked for his alleged participation in the kidnapping of Ohara last October.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday said Malacañang had already served a notice of termination on Gatdula.

“This is to inform you that your appointment as Director of NBI is hereby terminated effective this date,” read the notice signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. which was distributed to the media by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

In a press conference, De Lima cited Aquino’s loss of trust and confidence in Gatdula as the reason behind the latter’s termination.

Noncareer

She explained that as a non-career executive service officer, Gatdula served at the pleasure of the President.

Gatdula was among several NBI officials whom a DOJ fact-finding panel recommended for criminal and administrative charges for the kidnap-for-ransom of Ohara.