Archival ambush-slay ‘almost solved’ — NBI

Max Salvador, the new NBI regional director, says high on his priority list is the arrest and filing of cases against suspects in the ambush-slay of lawyer Noel Archival and his two aides. (CDN PHOTO/ ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL)

On his first day in office, newly installed   Regional Director Max Salvador of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said the  Feb. 18  slaying of lawyer Noel Archival is almost solved.

“We have traced all the suspects and we’re working on it. Hopefully, we will be able to make some arrests or file the charges within this week,” he told reporters.

He declined to give more details.

“Later. Basta meron na. We’re in the right direction,” he said.

Assailants in three cars ambushed the lawyer in Dalaguete town, south Cebu.  Archival  was riding home to Cebu City in his car with an armed aide,  a companion and a  driver.

Only his companion  Paolo Cortes survived.

Salvador arrived in Cebu City last Sunday and inherited the high-profile case which started as a police investigation but extended to the NBI at the request of the victim’s brother, Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival.

Salvador,  a 58-year-old native of Ilocos Norte,   was regional director of the NBI Bicol for over a year before his assignment in Cebu.

Among his first duties is to brief the public and consult citizens on NBI’s  proposed increase of fees for NBI clearance   for local and overseas employment, and permit to carry firearmsfrom P415 to P500.

“Our present clearance fees were calculated in 1992. But now, the cost of paper, printing, and manpower have increased,” he said.

Salvador replaced Antonio Pagatpat, who along with NBI-7 assistant director Jose Doloiras were appointed by President Aquino  as the new deputy directors for Special Investigation and Regional Operation Services in Manila, respectively.

Salvador joined the NBI in 1986 and has served as NBI regional director in Davao and Cotabato City. He was among the team leaders during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Cebu City in January 2007.

He said he would  follow priorities of the NBI  central office but will emphasize  cases involving human trafficking, terrorism, and illegal drugs.

The NBI 7 is conducting an independent investigation but is coordinating with a  police task force  formed to identify Archival’s killers.

NBI-7 supervising agents Rennan Augustus Oliva and Jose Ermie Monsanto, both close friends of the slain lawyer, lead the NBI investigation.

Archival came from a court hearing in Dumaguete City when unidentified persons on board two Hilux vehicles ambushed him and his companions in barangay Coro, Dalaguete town.

Archival’s driver Alejandro Jaime and another aide Edu Miñoza  also died in the ambush.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said he would like the  new NBI 7regional  director to give updates  on the  parallel investigation with the provincial police.

Davide has yet to meet the new official.

Asked what were his expectations of the new NBI chief , whose office the Cebu provincial government has alloted space for a new headquarters, Davide said: “Number one, I want him to focus on the Archival case and also updates on the status of other high-profile cases they’re handling.”/ with report from Peter L.  Romanillos