NBI files charges vs condo management for confining nurses to their units
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation said it filed criminal complaints against officials of a condominium in Quezon City for allegedly confining three nurses to their unit despite being cleared from COVID-19.
In a statement on Friday, the NBI said it filed complaints of serious illegal detention and of violation of Quezon City Executive Order No. 26, 2020 which protects medical frontliners and COVID-19 from discrimination.
NBI Officer-in-Charge Eric Distor said that in June 29, the bureau’s Special Action Unit (SAU) received complaints from three individuals, through their lawyer, saying the management of their condominium restricted them to their unit for more than three days.
This is despite the tenants’ presenting of their medical certificates saying that they are cleared from COVID-19 and are fit to return to work.
The NBI-SAU arrived at the condominium tower and explained to the management that the nurses have already been cleared from COVID-19. But the bureau said the management insisted that they still need barangay clearance.
The barangay chairperson, however, explained that they could not issue a health clearance as they “respect clearances issued by Infectious Control Consultants.
Despite the presentation clearances, the management still refused to release the complainants, prompting the NBI operatives to rescue them.
The NBI identified the respondents as the following:
- Mel Tosco, property manager/administrative head
- Napolen Briñas, head, security management
- Atty. Jerich Jucaban, vice president
- Sadat Macabanding, security guard
They also filed complaints against the assigned security guard in the condominium, three still unidentified men and two unnamed women.
Tosco was already arrested, while Briñas and Jucaban remain at large. — Kristine Joy Patag
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