Taguig cops file obstruction charges vs Forbeswood security

By: Julliane Love de Jesus - 11 years ago

CORNEJO, NAVARRO, LEE

MANILA, Philippines–The Taguig City police has formally lodged a case against Megaforce Security Agency and some of its personnel for their failure to cooperate with the police in its investigation on the mauling incident of Vhong Navarro.

In an affidavit sent to the Department of Justice on Thursday, Senior Superintendent Arthur Felix Asis, Taguig City Police chief, said that Megaforce security officers at Forbeswood Heights condominium in Bonifacio Global City, where Navarro was mauled by the group of businessman Cedric Lee for allegedly raping model Deniece Cornejo, will be facing criminal charges.

Megaforce personnel Roderick Garbin as chief security, Maximo Meregildo as head investigator, Jeffrey Veniegas and Romeo Nevado Jr. as security officers and several John Does will be facing Obstruction of Apprehension and Prosecution of Criminal Offenders charges.

“Based on the facts, we submit that there is probable cause to believe that Megaforce security and its personnel knowingly or willfully obstructed, impeded, frustrate or delayed the apprehension of suspects and the investigation and prosecution of criminal cases,” said Asis.

The reason for the obstruction charges stemmed from Megaforce security personnel’s refusal to work with the authorities after they failed to report the incident to Taguig City Police Station as required by law.

As proven in the condominium’s closed-circuit television, Asis questioned the security guards for not stopping the group of Lee and Cornejo when they exited the gate. On the video Navarro can be seen being escorted out by Lee’s group with his both hands tied behind his back.

“It is apparent that the Megaforce security personnel concealed the crime, which should have been reported immediately to police authorities,” he said.

The police also slammed the security officers for withholding information on the incident and for failing to preserve the crime scene.

Asis said they personally gave a letter of request for ocular investigation in the BGC condominium last January 27 but Forbeswood Heights security prevented the police, saying “they will have to first ask permission from the building administrator.”