ANGELES City -- Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), who raided a bar at the red light district of Bgy. Malabanias here, accosted and forcibly herded this reporter into their vehicle while covering the operation last Friday evening.

While inside the vehicle, agents from the NBI-Central Luzon also confiscated this reporter’s digital camera and erased the photos of the raid.

Around 7:15 p.m. last Nov. 11, this correspondent learned from a source of an ongoing raid by the NBI on Stampede Bar on Don Juico Avenue.

This correspondent, accompanied by SPO2 Jose Capinpin of the nearby precinct 4 rushed to the area and took photos of the bar manager, a “mamas an,” and eight female bar workers who were ushered into an NBI van.

When NBI agents noticed their operation is being documented, they promptly accosted this correspondent.

This reporter properly identified himself as a newsman covering for the Philippine Journalists, Inc. (PJI) — publisher of People’s Journal/People’s Tonight — and tried to show his press card.

But instead of allowing show his press card, they forcibly confiscated his digital camera and forced him into one of their vehicles and had the photographs erased before returning the camera.

Upon reaching the Phil-American Friendship Road, they pulled over and asked this correspondent to step out of the vehicle and left him there.

NBI-Region 3 Director Ricardo Diaz was immediately informed about the mistreatment media practitioner as well as the offense against freedom of the press done by the agency’s agents.

“Pasensya ka na hindi ka kasi nila (NBI agents) kilala,” Diaz told this correspondent.

A report by the Police Station 4 here stated that the NBI agents who raided the Stampede Bar were led by one Harenato Mandawe.

A source said the bar manager identified as David Martinez and seven of the eight female workers were released by the NBI. It was also learned that as of yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, the Stampede Bar is in operation again.