BACOLOD City – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-6 regional office was ordered to explain the alleged malicious prosecution charge against some of its agents in connection with the alleged ambush of a lady lawyer in Negros Occidental recently.

Task Force Kasanag national commander John Chiong said the order came from Department of Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay.

Kasanag is an anti-crime and corruption group.

Chiong said he filed the complaint for malicious prosecution against the NBI regional office 6 headed by Director Max Salvador with the DOJ.

He added that he met with Sugay on Friday.

A copy of Chiong’s complaint was also sent to NBI Director Dante Gierran.

Chiong contended that NBI-6 filed murder and frustrated murder cases against 11 personalities in Negros without getting their side.

“It is malicious prosecution,” he said.

He added that the NBI agents only investigated lawyer Erfe Del Castillo who filed the complaint but did not bother to locate and investigate the respondents.

In the case filed with the Talisay City prosecutor’s office, the NBI-6 named the respondents as lawyer Jomax Ortiz,  Catherine Berioso-Cabuga alias Kate Brios, Shirley Berioso, Caselyn Berioso-Ortiz, Senior Supt. Francisco Ebreo, former Bacolod City Police Officer officer-in-charge; Supt. Richie Yatar, Senior Inspector Adrian Albaytar, SPO2 Joshua Barile, PO3 Ronald Ortiz, a journalist, and several John and Jane Does.

Del Castillo together with fiancé Gil Palmares were ambushed December 2018.

Palmares died in the ambush while Del Castillo survived.

Earlier, NBI Deputy Director Vicente de Guzman said that both sides should be investigated as a matter of policy.

Salvador could not be reached for comment as of press time.