I Am Not A Rapist

“No one would confess to so heinous a crime had they not committed it.”
Larry A. Hammond

I came back at Robinsons Galleria to pick up my clearance, two weeks after enduring the exhausting NBI clearance new application process. However, I was advised that I needed to undergo a personal interview at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) head office before they release my clearance. I am totally bored that day, so I thought maybe this unusual glitch on my daily routine could put some color on my uninteresting day.

I was entertaining weird thoughts on my way to NBI head office. Imagining myself sitting in an abandoned and dark interrogation room with swinging light bulb. Bully NBI officers would come in, with torture written all over their faces, holding electrodes for my sorry testicles, and other officers coming with rubber hoses to beat me up.

Of course not, I was actually smiling while imagining this torture-interrogation thing just like in the movies – me and my boring days and hyper mind. But yeah, all I need was an NBI clearance and what I got was an irritating {yet exciting} day.

The interview

We sat in silence for a minute. I just breathed easy.

“Do you know why we want to see you?” asked the lady officer sitting on her shabby standard government issued desk.

“Hmm, No I don’t Ma’m,” I replied calmly.

Then I was barraged by questions about my work, hometown, present address, college degree and other personal info, which of course didn’t intimidate me a bit. She flipped into my dossier, stopped on a page then said,

“So you got a government scholarship during college?” she asked, then flatly added, “You cannot leave the Philippines because you have a contractual obligation with the Dept. of Science and Tech”

Well I am well aware of that, and I already served my obligations to our Republic years ago. So I just gave a lazy nod – thinking about my recent trip to Hong Kong without any hassle.

She then asked me to sign some documents and instructed to proceed to the adjacent desk to swear, with my right hand raised, that I am not a criminal, in front of an administering officer, holding a Special Prosecutor III stamp, ready to seal my dossier.

What’s in my name

It was so trite, so routine. She seemed happy with my answers. With a smile, she reached out her hand to shake mine. Would I accept and shake the hand of an officer representing the Philippine criminal justice system who disturbed my day as a suspect in a crime – as a rapist?

This was not normal; I am a law-abiding citizen. The only crime I can think of is vandalizing LRT stations during my college years as an activist. So I asked her what was this all about.  

“We are tracking a guy with a rape case in Mindoro with the same name as yours. That is why we want to talk to you.” She quickly quipped then pretend to be busy stamping and signing some documents.

Well I just said, “Whew, blame my Mom for giving me a generic first name.”

But I thought my middle name and surname is unique in the Philippines – because people always pronounced it wrong! (And I grew tired of correcting it, so I just let people read it the way they want)   But still I am unlucky enough to have the same name as a rapist suspect with pending case in Mindoro.

Afterthought

It's bad enough if you share the same name as terror suspect or in my case a rapist. What would you do when the NBI interrogate you? Sue?

There are many interesting mistaken identity stories which reflects the flaws in our criminal justice system. I am sure you heard sad news about these cases of mistaken identity where innocent people experienced torture and imprisonment. It's one of the tragedies that can occur in the criminal justice system.

Does this type of  “HIT” or probably “lack of common sense” happen more often? Why would a criminal voluntarily come to the NBI willing to be interrogated by the investigating officer?

Of course, sometimes the police arrest the wrong person, especially when people share the same name or look alike. The interrogation process itself was a punishment.

After that, what will they say? Ooooops, sorry

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INTERESTING CASES OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY IN THE NEWS

» "Mistaken identity destroys OFW’s dreams"  The case of Jason Aguilar detained by the Doha police after he was mistakenly identified as American citizen Jason Ivler, the road rage suspect wanted in the Philippines.
» "Mistaken identity eyed in woman's killing"
»  Brutal torture of a 25-year-old man over mistaken identity in General Santos City, Mindanao 
The case of Haron Abubakar Buisan who was allegedly illegally arrested, detained and brutally tortured by the policemen attached to the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) following his arrest on 12 December 2005. {Asian Human Rights Commission:}
». Ex-judge in mistaken identity case cleared by SC, gets retirement perks
{GMA-News}

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» NBI Clearance New Biometric System » How to get it without losing your patience