Ping’s men nabbed with bugging devices

Police raided a "listening post" allegedly maintained by former agents of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) in a Pasig City condominium, arrested six "operators" and seized various electronic spying equipment.

Camp Crame sources said the six suspects, all identified with former PAOCTF chief and now Sen. Panfilo Lacson, were caught whileoperating the sophisticated communications equipment which are believed to be used against Lacson’s perceived enemies.

The sources refused to give details of the operation but said that Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza will present the suspects and the equipment to the media today.

Among the seized equipment was a sophisticated G-Track 9000 cellphone interceptor, which is capable of simultaneously monitoring and recording at least 500 calls.

The policemen who raided the listening post yesterday noon were reportedly led by Central Luzon police chief Senior Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya and PNP Intelligence Group chief Senior Superintendent Robert Delfin.

The source said PNP agents managed to locate the listening post through an elaborate and highly technical counter-surveillance scheme involving several civilian agents.

As of presstime, the authorities were still conducting an inventory of the seized items which are believed to officially belong to the PNP or the PAOCTF.

Police records show the PAOCTF had reported "missing" several surveillance equipment, like cameras and lenses, fiber optic monitors, closed-circuit cameras and other wireless equipment.

Records show that these equipment were purchased by the PAOCTF which was then under Lacson’s leadership.