Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has released Davidson Bangayan after verifying that he is not the David Tan with the pending warrant of arrest before the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court, his lawyer said Tuesday.
“They [NBI] verified if he is the David Tan in the warrant and it was proven that he was not,” Atty. Benito Salazar said over the phone.
Salazar said they have submitted birth certificate and driver’s license.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director Virgilio Mendez said, “We cannot detain him (Davidson Bangayan), no basis in the meantime. The arrest warrant issued by the court will undergo further verification.”
The warrant for the arrest was issued against a certain David Tan by the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 126 for violation of Republic Act 7832 or the Anti-Electricity and Electric Transmission Lines or the Materials Pilferage Act of 1994.
The NBI was able to procure a copy of Tan’s arrest warrant last Jan. 7.
Bangayan, on Tuesday first met with Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to clarify that he is not David Tan.
De Lima said he expressed willingness to cooperate in the probe and she referred him to the NBI.
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