Lacson to Matillano: Keep me out of it

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson called on Director Eduardo Matillano, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), to stop issuing statements linking him to the escape of convicted Indonesian bomber Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi.

Lacson said Matillano is resorting to his "usual innuendoes" in linking him to Al-Ghozi’s escape from the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame last July 14.

He said that at the rate the PNP is conducting the investigation, "it does not seem to appear that it is keenly serious to get to the bottom of the case."

"I find the tack employed by Director Matillano resorting to his usual innuendoes about my supposed involvement again in the media as most unfortunate and quite pathetic," Lacson said.

"Instead of working quietly for the early resolution of the case, Mr. Matillano would rather muddle the whole issue by injecting political motives into the issue without the benefit of an iota of evidence," he added.

Lacson said Matillano’s logic of pursuing every police official associated with him during his administration as the former PNP chief is "misleading."

"Our government has already been greatly embarrassed. He should not aggravate the situation for the Arroyo administration with his irresponsible and speculative statements," Lacson said.

One of the police officials linked to Lacson, Superintendent Reuben "Fritz" Galban, said, "Ni hindi ko siya nakausap nang personal at kahit noong nag chief PNP pa siya (I haven’t talked to Lacson personally even when he was the PNP chief)."

"He (Lacson) was my boss and I served him well, just like when I was under all other superiors at the IG (PNP Intelligence Group). I delivered (in my job as an officer) in all of the other bosses above me," he said. "Ni walang isa na nagsabi na ako ay walanghiya (Not one of my bosses claim that I was of a bad character)."

Galban, chief of the PNP-IG’s Foreign Intelligence Liaison Office (FILO), was reportedly booked on a Northwest Airlines flight to the United States in an apparent attempt to escape responsibility on the ongoing investigation.

This prompted PNP officials to direct Galban to show himself to erase speculations that he was intending to get away. Galban denied the allegations.

"Personally, I can’t take this because I know I have not done anything wrong. I will fight this to the end of this investigation," he said.

Galban said he will wait it out until the investigation is finished and continue his work as an intelligence officer. "This is what I do and this is what I live for," he said. "My entire family has been affected (by the allegations)."

Galban explained that at the time when the escape took place, he had already left his office.

After having dinner with his family, Galban said he asked his driver to drop him off at the IG office and then proceed home with his wife and child.

Galban said his driver fetched him from the office around 1 a.m. but he returned a few hours later to shut off his computer.

"That explains why I was spotted to have gone back and forth at my office between 1 to 3 a.m. on the day of the escape."

Galban claimed he reported for work at around 8:30 a.m. on Monday when he was told of the escape two hours later.

"I was having my second cup of coffee when I was informed about the escape," he said.

Galban was among the 17 officers of the 90 IG personnel ordered relieved. The rest of the 73 non-commissioned police officers were also relieved and have been assigned to other PNP offices during the investigation.

The CIDG has filed criminal charges against Superintendent Guillermo Danipog, Inspector James Dime, Senior Police Officer 3 Ruperto Principe Jr. and PO1 Ronald Palmares, who were on duty at the time of the escape.

Aside from charges of evasion through negligence, the said police officers were also charged administratively with serious neglect of duty, punishable by dismissal.

Matillano said criminal charges are also being readied against Galban and Superintendent Carlito Natanuan, IG headquarters commandant.

On the day Al-Ghozi escaped, Chief Superintendent Jesus Versoza stepped down as PNP-IG chief. Senior Superintendent Romeo Ricardo took over temporarily as officer-in-charge.

Unseen hands

For his part, newly appointed PNP-IG director Chief Superintendent Arturo Lumibao said "unseen hands" are muddling the ongoing investigation aimed to sow confusion in the PNP and mislead the public on true nature of the escape incident.

Lumibao initiated a revamp of the entire unit shortly after being appointed as IG director by PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.

Lumibao said he will also review all existing operational procedures and conduct an audit and evaluation of all IG facilities.

Lumibao claimed the investigation is being muddled by senseless reports and speculations.

"As I have said, we are being manipulated by unseen hands. And hopefully, we can uncover these people who are manipulating the organization and the ongoing investigation. It is very sad that these groups take advantage of the crisis," Lumibao said.

Lumibao said the PNP has not established the groups and people behind the series of disinformation. He cited as example reports that Galban has booked a flight to the US to evade investigation.

Lumibao said the disinformation campaign is expected to go on high gear since the investigation is slowly uncovering important leads about the circumstances behind the escape.

"We expect this kind of disinformation because of the ongoing investigation," Lumibao told reporters during simple ceremonies marking his formal takeover as IG chief yesterday.

For its part, the PNP top brass vowed to uncover individuals and groups behind the disinformation campaign.

Affected by various attempts to muddle the investigation, Ebdane issued a strong message to his men to get their act together.

"Let us not get distracted by this unfortunate event. Let us go on with our work...There is no more room for laxity or sloppiness. Failure is not an option. And I will not hesitate to let the axe fall where it must," Ebdane said.

Ebdane called on all police officers to set aside personal differences and "finish the job" of recapturing Al-Ghozi and his two Abu Sayyaf cohorts.

Designated by President Arroyo to lead a task force to recapture one of Southeast Asia’s top terrorists, Ebdane directed all police regional commanders to prioritize all efforts in hunting down Al-Ghozi.

"We are now closer than before. Everybody agreed that we should do everything and act as one to redeem the PNP as in institution, which at one point in time has become personality oriented," one high-ranking police official later told The STAR after attending the command conference with Ebdane yesterday.

There have been persistent reports that Al-Ghozi’s escape was part of a power struggle within the PNP leadership.

"Al-Ghozi’s escape has nothing to do with the reported jockeying for the top PNP post," said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco. "There’s no such thing as game of the generals."

Matillano, for his part, said he was also on the receiving end of the disinformation campaign.

He said part of the demolition job was also directed against him in alleging that he was also involved in the escape of Al-Ghozi.

Al-Ghozi, along with two suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits, Abdul Mukim Edris and Omar Opik Lasal, sprang out of his detention cell at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame last July 14.

The jailbreak sparked an international uproar, much to the embarrassment of the Philippine government, raising questions on President Arroyo’s campaign against terrorism.

The escape also sparked a region-wide manhunt for Al-Ghozi, who earlier confessed to his role in a wave of deadly Rizal Day bombings in Metro Manila in December 2000 as well as to securing explosives in a plot to bomb Western embassies in Singapore. He was earlier sentenced to 17 years in jail in the Philippines for possessing explosives.

Described as one of Southeast Asia’s top terrorists, Al-Ghozi’s escape has prompted a region-wide security alert for fear of a fresh attack similar to the bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali last October that left 202 dead.

Mrs. Arroyo initially offered a P5 million reward for any information leading to Al-Ghozi’s capture, which amount she doubled to P10 million.

Administration lawmaker Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles said Mrs. Arroyo cannot be faulted for Al-Ghozi’s escape.

"The President has nothing to do with it, she can only be in one place at a time," Nograles said.

The Davao lawmaker said critics should direct their blame at "some rotten eggs within the PNP" responsible for the escape. - With Non Alquitran, Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude