NBI official finds self in deeper trouble

CEBU CITY — In his attempt to wiggle out of a tight situation, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regional director Anthony Liongson only found himself in deeper trouble.

The other day, Liongson admitted that he cleared, without conducting any investigation, two former Customs officials of accusations that they smuggled 61 kilos of cocaine in 1995.

The NBI regional chief merely said that the allegations against retired Customs district collector David Odilao Jr. and former Customs lawyer Paul Alcazaren were "forensically impossible."

Last Friday, Liongson presented to the House special committee on dangerous drugs an affidavit executed by a former member of the defunct Philippine Constabulary, accusing Odilao and Alcazaren, together with the eldest son of former Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Ernest Wiegel, of smuggling in cocaine in November 1995.

But less than 24 hours later, Liongson cleared Odilao, Alcazaren and Mark Wiegel of the accusations leveled against them by former PC man Manuel Omega in an affidavit dated Nov. 14.

Liongson also admitted that the NBI subpoenaed Omega and compelled him to execute an affidavit linking Odilao, Alcazaren and Wiegel to illegal drugs.

Malfeasance case

As a result of his flip-flopping, Liongson appeared to be more in deeper trouble. Cebu’s south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco threatened to have the Department of Justice file a malfeasance case against him.

Cuenco, chairman of the House special committee on illegal drugs investigating the operation of illegal drug syndicates in Cebu, told The Freeman that he would invite Liongson to an executive session with members of his committee to explain his turnaround.

Cuenco vowed to ask the DOJ to sue Liongson for malfeasance if the committee would not be satisfied with his explanations.

Liongson, however, told The Freeman in a separate interview that even while he was speaking before the committee last Friday, he already wanted to clear Odilao and Alcazaren.

He said Omega’s statement was "forensically impossible."

According to Liongson, Omega based his conclusion that what he (Omega), Odilao, Alcazaren and Wiegel delivered to a Chinese national in Midtown Hotel was cocaine on a mere say-so of that Chinese national.

No investigation

Liongson’s admission that he cleared Odilao and Alcazaren of any involvement in the cocaine smuggling without subjecting them to any investigation triggered speculations that he did so because they were fellow masons.

Odilao and Alcazaren, accompanied by fellow masons, visited Liongson in the latter’s NBI office the other day.

Liongson played down the meeting, saying that Odilao just asked for all the documents that were presented during the last congressional hearing.

Liongson said they took the affidavit of Omega to corroborate the earlier testimony of retired Customs official Samuel Pedrosa that smuggling was rampant at the Mactan airport.

The NBI chief then turned the table against Omega, threatening to file perjury charges against him and a certain Tony Vargas for allegedly lying in their affidavit.

Odilao also intends to file criminal charges against Omega and Vargas for dragging their names into the illegal drug trade. He has also accepted Omega’s challenge for both of them to undergo a lie detector test.

"Yes, I am willing to undergo lie detector, drug and psychiatric tests," Odilao said.

Odilao refused to confirm whether he will also file charges against NBI agent Renato Mandawe.

Probe panel

Nevertheless, Liongson has created an investigating panel to look into allegations that Mandawe asked for P50,000 from Odilao and Alcazaren in exchange for the withdrawal of Omega’s affidavit.

Mandawe, for his part, welcomed the investigation, saying it will help clear his name.

Omega earlier said that in November 1995, he was instructed by Alcazaren to pick up two traveling bags at Odilao’s office on a Sunday morning. He said he then brought the bags to Odilao’s residence at Ming Court Subdivision in Talisay City.

Two days later, Omega said he was again instructed by Alcazaren to follow him at Chikaan Restaurant where they met Mark Wiegel and a policeman.

From there, all four of them went to the Midtown Hotel where eight Chinese-looking people, including a woman, waited in one of the rooms on the seventh floor.

Omega alleged that Wiegel gave the keys to the bags to one of the Chinese-looking men who then started opening the bags. It was then that he learned that the bags contained cocaine, he stated in his affidavit.

"After the 61 packs of cocaine were dropped on the floor, the woman opened one pack and took a sample from it, using her finger and placing it in her mouth and told the man who opened the door, ‘Daddy, class A, A-one,’ he recounted in his affidavit. — Freeman News Service