Bugging devices found at Palace

Electronic surveillance gadgets were found hidden in the offices of junior undersecretaries of new President Arroyo, one of the officials said yesterday.

Press Undersecretary for Operations Roberto Capco said security personnel discovered one of four bugging devices in a chandelier of his office.

Another three devices were found in a lamp, an airconditioner and an electrical socket in the office of Press Undersecretary for Broadcast Serge Remonde.

Capco said he had requested a sweep of their new offices which they occupied only this week after former President Joseph Estrada was ousted in military-backed popular revolt last weekend.

This time, the sweeping was done by the elite Presidential Security Group and not the Philippine National Police.

"We will have every corner of this building swept, including the press working area," Capco added.

Capco would not say who planted the devices but theorized that the listening devices were left behind by people who had been monitoring Estrada’s press undersecretaries.

He reassured the people that President Arroyo will respect press freedom.

During Estrada’s term, the opposition charged that the administration was involved in illegal wiretapping to monitor its political enemies. — Liberty Dones