NBI: Jason Ivler wanted in US over drug case

Jason Ivler, the suspect in the murder of a Malacañang official’s son, has a standing bench warrant in the United States for skipping court hearings on a drug-related case, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) bared on Tuesday. Ricardo Diaz, chief of the NBI Counter Terrorism Unit, said they got the information from a report that was sent to them by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after they requested for a background check on Ivler. Diaz quoted the report as saying that Ivler, 28, is wanted by the Nevada Highway Patrol “for failure to appear in court to address dangerous drugs of trafficking of a … controlled substance and possession with intent to sell." Ivler was indicted for possessing the sedative drug Flunitrazepam, according to Diaz. His name appeared at the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and Computerized Criminal History (CCH) database.

The bench warrant, dated September 9, 2009, was issued by the In the Justice’s Court of Canal Township, Nevada. Diaz said the Jason Ivler wanted in the US fits the age, height and weight description of the Jason Aguilar Ivler who was tagged in the killing of Renato Victor Ebarle Jr., son of Presidential Chief of Staff Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr., in Quezon City last November 18. “This put to rest the myths regarding Jason Aguilar Ivler," Diaz said, adding that this explained why Ivler, a US citizen, was discharged from US military service and why he is in the Philippines. Diaz said Ivler will first face his charges here in the Philippines before he will be deported to the US to face his case there. He said the US Embassy’s American Citizens Services is looking into the alleged human rights violation committed on Ivler by authorities. “But the FBI is also helping us in the information and the US Embassy will not coddle Ivler because he was even wanted in the US by virtue of bench warrant for case No. 09 CR 002463F," Diaz said. Ivler was arrested Monday last week in his mother’s residence in Blue Ridge Subdivision in Quezon City. He is currently recuperating at the Quirino Memorial Medical Hospital after he was wounded when he engaged the arresting NBI team in a firefight. Prior to the killing of Ebarle, Ivler, nephew of folk singer Freddie Aguilar, was also involved in a deadly car accident that killed presidential adviser Nestor Ponce, Jr. in August 2004. - KBK, GMANews.TV