NBI ordered to locate taxi driver allegedly robbed by Arnaiz

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to locate Tomas Bagcal, the taxi driver allegedly robbed by 19-year old former UP student Carl Angelo Arnaiz.

Bagcal issued two affidavits dated Aug. 18 where he said he could not identify the robber but in his Aug. 29 affidavit, he described the robber matching the clothes worn by Arnaiz. Bagcal also gave different locations on where the incident took place.

“The NBI, through Director Dante A. Gierran is hereby directed to locate the whereabouts of Mr. Tomas Bagcal and granted authority to conduct investigation and case build-up over the alleged robbery against Carl Arnaiz and to determine the factual circumstances that led to the death of Mr. Arnaiz,” Aguirre said in a Department Order issued Thursday.

Aguirre said Bagcal is not just a person of interest.

“Because he was supposed to be a robbery victim. But if he made up his story then he can be prosecuted,” Aguirre told reporters. JE

READ: Poe eyes summoning cabbie allegedly robbed by Arnaiz