SINCE Saturday, I have been trying to reach NBI director, Magtanggol Gatdula, over the rough treatment that one of our Central Luzon correspondents, Bernard Galang, received in the hands of his men under a certain “Atty. Ric Diaz.”

As of this writing however, Dir. Gatdula “cannot be reached” in the cellphone number that NPC Pres. Jerry Yap gave to me.

The incident involving Galang was reported in yesterday’s issue of People’s Tonight and People’s Journal.

For everybody’s enlightenment, it detailed how the NBI runs after, err, entertains media practitioners, who happen to be present during their anti-vice operations -- the way the Gestapo treats civilians and other citizens in the Nazi regime.

As Galang narrated, the so-called “NBI agents” under the baton of Diaz roughly shoved him inside their van, seized his digital camera and started erasing all the pictures he took of the raid they made at a funhouse in Angeles City last Friday night.

Kahit nagpakilala na siyang isang lehitimong miyembro ng media, patuloy pa rin sa kanilang paglabag sa kanyang mga karapatan ang mga tauhan ni Diaz.

He was dumped some three kilometers away and lost his wallet in the process.

Galang said that Diaz “apologized” already for the incident but predictably refused to name those involved and predictably too, would not identify anyone of those who roughed him up.

Mukha pa nga daw mga hindi “pahuhuli ng buhay” ang mga kasama ni Atty. Ric Diaz kahapon. Aber, ganyan na ba ang standard requirement ngayon ng NBI? Kailangang mga mukhang kriminal ang mga ahente nito?

Now, if Dir. Gatdula would refresh his memory, he would see that on the record, this paper and yours truly in particular, has been biased towards the NBI all these years, in acknowledgement of the bureau’s credible reputation as a law enforcement agency.

My (few) friends in the bureau can attest to this fact and probably too, Dir. Gatdula’s predecessors.

In fact, People’s Tonight was among those who immediately sided with Dir. Gatdula and the NBI in its quarrel with its former technology partner, Mega Data, because the bureau was right to terminate an onerous contract.

And now this incident, which of course is also nothing new. May mga ahensiya kasi ng gobyerno na ang tingin sa mga miyembro ng media, ‘kaaway,’ a hazard that comes with the trade.

To be direct about it, the apology of Diaz is not enough because a more fundamental issue is involved -- the freedom of the press, something that Diaz and the NBI should have been particularly aware of considering that he is a lawyer and, to restate the point, the NBI has a credible reputation as a law enforcement agency.

Then too, Dir. Gatdula should also be aware that, as far as veteran police reporters are concerned, his agency is also notorious for coddling unsavoury characters and of some of his subordinates engaging in operations where observers are only left with one conclusion -- binabangketa lang naman ang mga hinuhuli.

Yes, dear readers, hindi lang mga smugglers ang protektado ng ilang NBI agents, mahilig din ang mga iba dyan sa bangketa operation. ‘Yung bang... manghuhuli para lang gumawa ng kuwarta kaya harinawang hindi ganyan ang kinauwian ng operasyon nila sa Angeles City

Thus, even as this corner encourages Dir. Gatdula to continue cracking the whip on his erring subordinates and in furthering the cause of reforms at the agency, he should also order an immediate investigation on this incident and ensure that it would not happen again.

Matibay din ang hinala na kaya hindi magawang ibisto, ehek, ibigay, ni Diaz ang pangalan ng mga umabuso at lumabag sa karapatan ni Galang ay dahil hindi naman mga organikong miyembro ang mga ito ng NBI. Kaya ba mga mukhang ‘hindi pahuhuli ng buhay’ ang mga nakapaligid sa kanya?

Mas malapit sa katotohanan na mga ‘CA’ (confidential agent) lang ang mga ito o sa madaling salita, mga maton at haoshiao na matitikas na ngayon dahil nabigyan ng NBI identification.

Hindi na ba matatapos ang ganitong kalakaran d’yan sa NBI? Aba’y dekada nang kapintasan ‘yan ng ahensiya na dapat na sigurong matuldukan ngayon, ‘di ba, Dir. Gatdula?

Now, if Dir. Gatdula and Diaz think they can treat this incident lightly and their erring members can get away with it, then you better think about it again, sirs.

Hindi naman puwedeng palampasin na lang basta ang ganitong insidente dahil insulto at asalto ang insidenteng ito sa buong Philippine media. Abangan!

At mahilig din naman na makisawsaw sa mga bar raid ang NBI, bakit hindi nila ikutan, ehek, manmanan, itong LA Cafe d’yan sa Maynila na kahit nahuli na ng DOJ for human trafficking (read: prostitution) at ipinasara ni Mayor Fred Lim ay muling nakapagbukas at tuloy pa rin sa kanilang operasyon?

Unless of course, the NBI would not want to touch this place because it is one of its agents’ “favourite” watering hole in Manila or, the truly crooked among its ranks already are receiving regular “timbre” from their foreign owners?

Hindi rin malayo ‘yan!

Then too, BI Comm. Ricardo David might want to check the records in his office to find out if LA Cafe’s “real owner,” (according to reliable sources), this ‘Jonathan Thorp,’ a German national, has a valid permit to stay in the country?

Abangan ulit!

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