All personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Tarlac have been relieved from their posts and placed on floating status amid allegations of extortion, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said Monday, October 5.
Matibag said all members of the NBI Tarlac District Office are now on floating status and are under investigation by the agency’s Internal Affairs Division.
"Sa ngayon po lahat ng miyembro ng Tarlac District Office po, they are now in floating status po and under investigation by Internal Affairs," Matibag said in an interview with DZRH's Dos Por Dos.
He appealed to the alleged victim to cooperate with the investigation, noting that the agency would have difficulty processing the complaint without the victim’s participation.
"Ang pakiusap ko po sana doon sa biktima ay makipagtulungan po sa amin kasi mahirap po kaming magprocess ng mga imbestigasyon at mga reklamong ganyan kung wala pong pakikipagtulungan," he said.
Matibag acknowledged that the alleged victim may be dealing with trauma and fear, but assured that the NBI is prepared to provide protection.
"Nauunawaan ko po na mayroong trauma at takot po pero nakahanda po ang aming ahensya na tumulong po para sa kanilang proteksyon," he said.
The NBI director also said he immediately ordered the personnel to be relieved upon learning of the allegations.
"Agad ko pong inaksyunan yan... kinabukasan po ay pinareleave ko po kaagad yan," Matibag said.
