DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano, the spokesperson of the department, confirms detainee Jad Dera and six NBI security personnel were arrested Tuesday evening for sneaking out of detention. (Photo by TETCH TORRES-TUPAS / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Amid unconfirmed reports that a detainee was arrested with a gun and P25 million in cash, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it was still investigating the case which still had little clarity on Wednesday.
NBI spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano IV could only confirm that detainee Jose Adrian Dera, a co-accused of former Sen. Leila de Lima in her remaining drug charge, was arrested around 12 a.m on Wednesday at the entrance of the NBI detention facility in Manila.
Clavano said six NBI personnel who escorted Dera outside of the facility were also arrested while the head of the NBI Security Management Section has been relieved.
In a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Clavano claimed that the incident proves that NBI agents connived to allow Dera to go in and out of the NBI detention facility.
He said that a detainee should not be able to leave the detention center without permission from the prosecutor or the judge.
Detained since 2019
Clavano also said that the NBI detention facility will be demolished and security personnel reshuffled following the incident.
“Rest assured that the tasked investigators will thoroughly look into the bottom of the incident, including the possible involvement of other personalities,” read an NBI statement released during the briefing.
Dera has been detained at the NBI facility since 2019 when he was arrested for several drug-related cases, one of which involved De Lima.
“The issue at hand is that people in detention had the capacity to move in and out of the detention center, especially high profile ones,” said Clavano. “We can presume that this is in connivance with members of the security personnel.”
But Clavano did not comment on claims that Dera was arrested in possession of a gun and a bag containing P25 million that was supposed to be meant for the 10 suspects in the killing of Negros Oriential Gov. Roel Degamo.
However, Dera’s lawyer Raymond Palad wondered why his client was being dragged into the Degamo case, which involves fugitive Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.
Palad said his client was allowed to leave the NBI facility under guard to seek medical attention.
“There are records in the jail that [Dera] was brought several times to the hospital because of medical issues,” added Palad.
Allowed to leave?
The lawyer said Dera left the facility around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, went to a hospital and returned past midnight under NBI escorts all the while.
“The tweets saying [my client brought back] P25 million and that he is a ‘bag man’ of Congressman Teves are not true. The only thing possibly wrong was him going in and out of the NBI, but again, those are for medical reasons,” Palad said.
Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio also dismissed the social media hubbub as “fake news.”
“Were they able to show the P25 million? Why would you be carrying around P25 million to give, supposedly, to the 10 witnesses against Congressman Teves?” Topacio asked. “They are detained. What are they going to do with the 25 million inside the detention center.”
Clavano confirmed that “nothing yet is established in that angle,” but he confirmed a black bag containing a mobile phone, a firearm, and an uncounted amount of cash was confiscated from Dera.