Former Davao City information officer Jefry Tupas said that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) allegedly offered him money and a place in Metro Manila, even in Forbes Park, Makati City.
The offer was reportedly given when operatives went to his house in North Cotabato to give him protection amid the bureau’s investigation on the ‘cash delivery’ claims of dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr.
Tupas made the statement through his counsel Atty. Caesar Europa, who relayed this to the Inquirer in a Viber message on Wednesday.
The former information officer’s story seems to affirm Vice President Sara Duterte’s remark on Tuesday on the NBI’s supposed attempt to ‘forcibly’ bring her former aide to Manila, in exchange for money and other promises.
‘Jefry confirms that when NBI personnel spoke with his family on the morning of Sept. 29 in Kabacan to offer him protective custody, they said that Jefry could choose wherever he wanted to stay in Manila-even in Forbes Park, if he wished,’ Europa told the Inquirer.
The counsel also said that in the afternoon of September 29, when NBI agents were still at Tupas’ house, operatives ‘also offered money to the members of his household.’
But Europa said Tupas declined the supposed offer.
The lawyer also reiterated that NBI Director Melvin Matibag reportedly called Tupas to urge him to trust that the bureau would protect him and his family.
Tupas also earlier said that the NBI ‘initiated efforts’ to bring him to Manila after agents supposedly offered him security, as they had received a ‘verifiable threat’ that he would be abducted by the Dutertes.
‘We can’t afford to house anyone in Forbes Park’
Responding to this, Matibag said that Tupas’ new allegations are ‘a bit outrageous,’ pointing out that the NBI cannot afford to house anyone in Forbes Park.
He explained that persons under the witness protection program-who went through the process-are being taken care of in comfortable residences, but not in ‘expensive houses.’
‘If we will house someone in Forbes Park, maybe our confidential funds or those used for the witness protection program will run out in less than 11 days,’ Matibag estimated in an interview with reporters on Wednesday.
Matibag said Tupas can execute an affidavit on his allegations on the NBI agents’ visit in his house, adding that the bureau’s team was also providing a separate affidavit for investigation.
The NBI director, on Tuesday, also emphasized that it was actually Tupas who brought up the situation that there were threats to his life, and not the bureau’s agents.
Matibag said Tupas welcomed the NBI agents who arrived at the former information officer’s place.
Tupas is said to have told the agents that he was willing to cooperate, noting that he even had coffee with them.
So Matibag said he was shocked when Tupas suddenly changed his statements, and sent an affidavit responding to Gracioso’s claims, a day after the NBI issued him a subpoena.
The NBI director also denied conversing with Tupas over the phone.
Gracioso is saying that he handed over suitcases of money to Tupas for Duterte, an event which the vice president also earlier denied.
Aside from this, Gracioso alleged to have delivered suitcases of cash to former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte in tranches.
The deliveries reportedly started in 2018 upon the instructions of his former boss, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.