‘Very Alarming’: NBI Probes Armed Civilians in alleged Albuera Checkpoint

Posted on September 6, 2026 at 7:34 pm

Albuera, Leyte — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is investigating an alleged roadside checkpoint in Albuera, Leyte, involving armed civilians, police personnel, and a government vehicle after a suspicious pickup truck was pursued and stopped along the municipality’s main road on September 2.

Eastern Visayas NBI Director Jeremy Lotoc described the incident as “very alarming,” particularly because civilians were reportedly involved in stopping and inspecting vehicles.

“We want to establish what happened, who was involved, what were the violations,” Lotoc said.

An NBI team, accompanied by personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Army, visited the site on September 4 to conduct a crime scene investigation. Lotoc said investigators confirmed that vehicles had been opened and inspected.

The bureau is now working to determine who authorized the checkpoint, who ordered the inspections, and under whose authority the armed civilians were acting.

Meanwhile, Albuera Mayor Kerwin Espinosa confirmed that one of the civilians seen in a viral video was part of his security and intelligence team under the Philippine National Police.

Espinosa did not identify the individual but told Vanguard that the man was “doing his job” and was carrying a licensed firearm.

According to the mayor, the incident began after personnel noticed a pickup truck making suspicious and unusual movements. Police personnel assigned to his security team were also involved.

Espinosa said, however, that there was no time to coordinate with his office beforehand because the incident happened quickly.

The mayor also said he had previously faced allegations involving death threats, which he cited as part of the security concerns surrounding him and his team. Details about those alleged threats, including their source and whether they were connected to the checkpoint incident, have yet to be independently verified.

Espinosa said he learned about the incident only hours later through Facebook.

He also downplayed the incident, saying, “Para sa akin, wala lang.”

The pickup truck was eventually released after police reportedly found no violation or contraband, according to Espinosa.

The NBI is focusing its investigation on the respective roles of the police, the local government, and the civilians who allegedly participated in the vehicle inspections.

“Having individuals in civilian clothes opening vehicles is like the protocol is wrong,” Lotoc said.

Investigators have obtained the names of the people allegedly involved and interviewed witnesses who are willing to testify. The bureau is also reviewing records and other documents as it works to establish what happened.

The Philippine National Police is conducting a separate internal investigation into the alleged involvement of its personnel.

The incident has also generated conflicting accounts. While some maintain that the operation was a legitimate security measure, others allege that it may have been staged.

“Our fellow citizens are getting confused; they don’t know what is true and what really happened,” Lotoc said.

Lotoc stressed that the NBI must establish the facts and rely on evidence before making any definitive conclusions.

“As I have said before, kami mag-release ng statement, kailangan facts-based siya and evidence-based,” he said.

For now, the NBI investigation is centered on several key questions: Who ordered the operation? Who authorized the checkpoint? Who were the armed civilians? Were government personnel involved? And if protocols were violated, who should be held accountable?

Photos by: Jazmin Bonifacio & Rolly Magallanes