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By Nitz Arancon

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) started looking into the revived rape case against Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) senior architectural draftsman cum whistleblower Emmanuel Mulawan Sr. to determine if there was an unseen hand behind it.

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Mulawan’s lawyer Edgar Cabanlas told the Gold Star Daily that his client’s arrest on Sunday caught the interest of NBI director Virgilio Mendez who once served as a former regional director of the Bureau based in this city.

Cabanlas said he and Mendez discussed the Mulawan case over the phone on Monday, and the NBI chief informed him that the Bureau has fielded agents to determine if there was really a strong case against Mulawan, and if there was an unseen hand behind what has been widely perceived as trumped up charges against the man who has exposed alleged wrongdoings in the COWD.

Mulawan was arrested at his Carmen home on Sunday, less than a month after he was released from a Cavite prison facility.

Cavite regional Judge Perla Fallar had ruled to “provisionally dismiss” the case due to the failure of Mulawan’s accuser, one Dianne Cruz, to show up in court since the COWD worker’s arrest in June.

Fallar revived the case after Cavite prosecutor Emmanuel Rivera claimed that Cruz has surfaced, and told him she was interested in pursuing the rape case. The judge then issued a Sept. 11 arrest warrant against Mulawan.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested Mulawan on Sunday afternoon based on a copy of the warrant allegedly provided by SPO3 Dominador Gabing.

Gabing, incidentally, is a member of the Gitagum town police that was behind the whistleblower’s controversial arrest in June.

Cabanlas said Mendez also informed him that the NBI was trying to find out if Mulawan’s accuser is real.

“Nag-ingon si Director Mendez kanako nga nagpadala na siyag mga agent didto sa   Cavite aron pagsusi kon kinsa ba gayud ang nagpaloyo ani nga kaso, ug kon tino-od ba gayud nga na-a kanang ‘Dianne Cruz’ nga complainant,” said Cabanlas.

He said he has sent Mendez documents and other information about the Mulawan case, including his client’s exposes pertaining to the alleged COWD anomalies.

“Ang trabaho NBI agents didto sa Cavite, gathering of information lang kay ang kaso ni Mulawan na-a na man sa korte,” he said.

Before Mulawan was released from the Cavite prison following over 70 days of detention, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered the NBI to start an investigation into suspicions that the justice system was being used to get back at Mulawan because of his exposes.

Mulawan is still in a hospital at presstime. He was admitted on Monday after he complained of chest pains and breathing difficulties.

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