NBI-7 men in extort charges anew

TWO agents and a staffer of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) face extortion charges anew, this time from a casino financier.

In a letter to the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, Samuel Latorre sought an investigation against NBI-7 Special Investigator Arnel Pura; Dr. Rene Cam, medico-legal officer; and investigation staffer Xerxes Baladya.

The three were accused of allegedly beating up and extorting money from Latorre who was trying to collect P1.2 million in gambling debts from a casino patron.

Latorre also asked the Ombudsman-Visayas to suspend the officials pending inquiry on the case.

The two NBI agents and were recently implicated in another extortion scheme involving an engineer whom they accused of rape.

The businessman filed a complaint against them after the two girls recanted their testimonies.

Latorre, who was arrested by the NBI-7 for alleged extortion, likewise sought the dismissal of the three men from government service.

Pura denied the allegations and said he will present documents to prove his innocence.

The case stemmed from an NBI-7 operation led by Pura last April 7.  Latorre said he was invited by a casino patron named Elizabeth Sato to her home at Pacific Villa I, Lapu-Lapu City after she promised to pay him her gambling debt last April 7.

Sato, who is reportedly a regular guest at the Mactan Casino in Lapu-Lapu City, owed P1.2 million to Latorre.

He said Sato gave him an envelope which contained the payment.

On receiving the envelope, Latorre said he was surprised to see NBI-7 agents inside the house.

The complainant said the agents led by Pura ganged up on him and accused him of extortion.

Latorre said it would be impossible for him to extort money from a “financially distressed debtor” like Sato.

When he tried to protest his arrest, Latorre said Pura and Baladya punched him.

The complainant said he asked an agent that he be allowed to call his lawyer but Pura rejected his pleas.

Latorre said he was brought to the NBI-7 office in Cebu City where Pura told him to settle his case with Sato.

Latorre said Pura offered P100,000 as Sato’s payment for her debt and promised to release him if he accepted.

“At that time, I realized that Pura was acting as the agent of the debtor. The entire episode of my arrest was indeed staged as a frame-up to settle my debtor’s unpaid obligation,” Latorre said.

When he refused, Pura reportedly got mad and threatened to file charges againt him.

The next day, Pura raised the amount to P150,000 and Latorre rejected the offer anew.

Latorre requested the NBI central office to conduct a separate investigation against the three men. /Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol