[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’NBI looking into Serenio’s claim’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
BACOLOD City – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Negros Island Region was looking into the veracity of the claim of Ricky Serenio that an “agent” of the bureau was receiving drug protection money.
In an affidavit, the region’s top drug suspect alleged that “Agent” Boy Gabuyao has been getting protection money from the Berya drug group, which Serenio claimed to be a part of, since December 2015.
Special Investigator 3 William De Arca Jr. clarified that Gabuyao was not an agent but a casual employee and was no longer connected with the bureau.
Serenio was arrested for grave coercion on Jan. 8.
In a news conference the following day, he tagged several law enforcement officers to the illegal drug trade.
In light of Serenio’s revelation that an NBI “agent” was getting drug protection money, the bureau’s Negros office sent investigators to the Police Regional Office 18 to question Serenio, a document from the agency’s Public Information Office showed.
Serenio told them he heard about Gabuyao from his boss, Berya Tolentino, who learned about the “agent” from “Kamarya,” another drug lord operating in Marawi City, according to the NBI-Negros.
But in his affidavit, Serenio claimed Gabuyao was getting from the Berya group P10,000 a week.
He also confessed to giving money to two other unidentified “NBI agents,” whom he promised to name in a supplemental affidavit.
According to De Arca, Gabuyao agreed that he and Serenio be subjected to a polygraph test.
Gabuyao may be charged with usurpation of authority if he was receiving drug protection money by posing as an NBI agent, while Serenio may be slapped with a perjury charge if he was lying, said De Arca.
From the Regional Special Operation Task Group, Serenio was transferred to the custody of the Pulupandan police station.
He was currently under the “protective custody” of mayors Magdaleno and Miguel Peña of Moises Padilla and Pulupandan, respectively./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
