An agent of the Special Task Force (STF) of the National Bureau Investigation (NBI) charged for alleged "sexual harassment" of an arrested Vietnamese woman will also face administrative case, NBI National Capital Region (NCR) Assistant Director Rommel Vallejo said Tuesday.

In an interview at the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas in Quezon City, Vallejo noted that although the NBI agent involved in the case have resigned the investigation for his administrative liability will continue.

"There is, (administrative case). Our director immediately asked the Internal Affairs Division to conduct an investigation and even though he resigned, the investigation will continue to determine his liability administratively. But definitely, the criminal aspect of the case will continue," he said.

"The agency is looking into that case. So if the court later on decides that he is accountable, he will be convicted. I don't want to dwell on the details of that abhorrent act because we don't have personal knowledge about it, but allegedly, there was sexual harassment," he added.

Vallejo assures that the NBI operation will not be affected in the grounding of the STF and noted that all members of the task force will be replaced as part of the directive of NBI Director Jaime Santiago to overhaul the group.

"Our work in the NBI, in investigating and operating, is continuous. Nothing is affected there. Even though the composition of the special task force was overhauled, it cannot be abolished because it was established by the Department Order," he said.

"Even though the personnel were replaced, the mandate of the special task force to go after and investigate high-profile cases will continue," Vallejo explained.

Despite the incident, Vallejo noted that the "case is very isolated", and assured that the "NBI is actively participating in the implementation and protection of the rights of anyone."

"We have been in the NBI for a long time, I've been there for more than 30 years, and we have never experienced or encountered such a thing. It is only now, unfortunately, our management acted immediately and the person involved was charged," he said. Robina Asido/DMS