Missing ISAFP man found in seminary

An agent of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) who has been reported missing since Sunday from Camp Aguinaldo turned out to be at the San Carlos seminary in Makati City where his wife said he was held against his will by the camp of former National Bureau of Investigation deputy director Samuel Ong.

T/Sgt. Vidal Doble was fetched from the seminary yesterday afternoon by a group led by Balanga, Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas.

Doble was turned over to the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Vidal Querol said he allowed a tinted black van bearing Villegas and Doble past a police barricade around the seminary at about 1:15 p.m. yesterday.

Villegas took Doble to Camp Aguinaldo where he was reunited with his wife Arlene and two children inside the "White House," the official residence of AFP chief Gen. Efren Abu.

Villegas, who was flown in from Bataan, said in a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo that Doble agreed to go with him after he introduced himself and assured the agent of his safety.

"Ligtas ka. Sagot kita. Magtiwala ka (You’re safe. You’re in my care. Trust me)," he told Doble, adding that the agent’s first concern was for his family’s safety.

After praying at the seminary’s chapel, Villegas said Doble simply told him, "Tayo na (Let’s go)," and they proceeded to the waiting van that took them to Camp Aguinaldo.

The Armed Forces had deployed tanks and heavily armed troops ready to storm the seminary following a call by Doble’s wife for her husband’s safe release. She claimed he had been abducted and was being held against his will inside the seminary.AFP Directorial Staff chief Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan said that based on the declaration by Doble’s wife, the ISAFP agent was indeed a victim of kidnapping.

However, Adan said the AFP will conduct its own investigation into the case. What is important, according to Adan, is that Doble is now safely back under military control.

Earlier yesterday, six truckloads of heavily armed soldiers were sent to San Carlos seminary in Makati City where Ong has sought sanctuary after releasing last Friday purported tapes of President Arroyo conspiring to cheat in last year’s presidential election.

Ong had earlier appealed to the public to "come to my succor" at the gates of the seminary on EDSA.

"I will be dead meat when I leave this place," he said in a radio interview yesterday after he heard an arrest warrant will be issued for him. "I will not be arrested alive."

Ong left the seminary at 7:30 p.m. together with Villegas and his lawyer Liwayway Vinzons-Chato in a convoy of vehicles that proceeded to the South Luzon Expressway from Guadalupe in Makati City.

Ong was reportedly asked to leave the seminary yesterday after he granted media interviews through cellular phone calls, violating a condition set by Church officials for his stay.

He has been holding out in the seminary since Friday, when he came out in public as the source of controversial taped conversations said to be of Mrs. Arroyo and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano allegedly conspiring to cheat in the 2004 presidential polls.

At least 200 armed soldiers and policemen surrounded the seminary to prevent left-leaning groups and supporters of ousted president Joseph Estrada from causing trouble in the area.

The Army is on alert for further protests at the seminary after about 200 protesters held a brief shoving match with police on Sunday as they gathered for a mass there.

"We are awaiting our orders. But we are here to augment the police forces," one officer said.

One soldier was armed with an M-60 machine gun and was loading ammunition into the firearm while two armored personnel carriers were on standby, their engines running.

Late yesterday afternoon, some 300 members of a group calling themselves PEACE attempted to hold a lightning rally in front of the seminary, but were quickly dispersed by anti-riot police.

Mrs. Arroyo is also besieged by allegations that her son and brother-in-law, who are both congressmen, took bribes from operators of jueteng, an illegal numbers game.

The government has denied all the allegations as a smear campaign, and Mrs. Arroyo said she will push ahead with reforms and efforts to improve the economy.

Vehicle Was ISAFP’s

As to the vehicle abandoned inside the seminary by supposed assassins Friday night, Querol said it was owned by ISAFP agents.

"They were trapped inside so they abandoned their car," he said, noting that the vehicle, a white Mitsubishi Galant, was recovered by the Southern Police District (SPD).

Several onlookers claimed Doble himself drove the car, which they said was among the vehicles that escorted Ong to the seminary.

Querol said Doble, a native of Botolan, Zambales, was named after him by the latter’s policeman father. He said Doble’s father, who died a decade ago, had served under him.

According to Querol, Doble belongs to a clan of policemen and soldiers known for their heroism in fighting communist rebels.

Ong said Doble had been with him at the seminary where he sought refuge last Friday. Doble is believed to be the person mentioned by Ong during last Friday’s press conference as the ISAFP agent who described how conversations between Mrs. Arroyo, Garcillano and other individuals were allegedly recorded.

According to Ong, Doble also spoke with Bishop Teodoro Bacani.

"I told him to speak out and tell the truth. The truth will set us free," Ong said.

He added that Doble allegedly refused to break his silence, fearing it would put him and his family in danger.

Doble’s wife, who identified herself as Arlene, said she came all the way from Kidapawan City in North Cotabato. She tried but failed to enter the seminary earlier yesterday to see her husband.

"Tulungan nyo po akong maitakas siya (Help me get him out)," she told reporters outside the seminary.

Fr. Anton Pascual, general manager of Radio Veritas and the seminary’s ad hoc spokesman, denied reports that Church officials kidnapped Doble or held him against his will.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil said the PNP, the Presidential Anti-Crime Emergency Response and the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force will look into the reports of Doble’s illegal detention.

He said once the investigation is complete, appropriate charges will be filed against those responsible.

‘Shoot Me’

Ong again called on actress Susan Roces, widow of actor and defeated presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., to provide him with protection.

"I want them to shoot me. I want the Filipino people to know I am telling the truth," he said, adding that he believes Roces will not forsake him nor allow him to die.

Ong’s lawyer Liwayway Vinzons-Chato, who issued a statement at around 12:30 p.m. yesterday, appealed to the government to refrain from using force and violence.

She said she and Ong’s seven other lawyers are ready to face charges of violating the anti-wiretapping law, but denied her client had issued any seditious statements.

Chato said if charges of wiretapping were filed, "that would be an admission that it was indeed Mrs. Arroyo and Garcillano who were on the tape."

If charged with violating the anti-wiretapping law, Ong could post bail for less than P6,000. If proven guilty, he could face a jail term of six months to six years.

Homobono Adaza, another of Ong’s lawyers, claimed the government might try to charge Ong with Doble’s kidnapping.

Pascual told The STAR that Manila Auxiliary Bishop Bernard Cortex, the designated "negotiator" in this situation, is closely coordinating with the PNP.

"We have to secure Ong’s safety and make sure that his human rights are protected and that he will have his day in court," he said.

Pascual said a team of clergymen, led by Cortez, will hand Ong over to policemen who will serve the arrest warrant.

"We and his lawyers will not be far away from him. We expect the situation inside the seminary to normalize by (today)," he said.

PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)head Chief Superintendent Asher Dolina said they had hoped to invite Ong to shed light on his allegations, "but under the present situation, it’s impossible for Ong to accept our invitation."

He said Ong would be asked to name the person who gave him the tape. Without Ong’s testimony, Dolina said police have requested television network ABS-CBN to turn over to them the copy of the controversial tape given by Ong.

Dolina said they sent ABS-CBN a formal request letter, but the network had yet to respond.

"Ong’s statement during his press conference Friday afternoon is tantamount to inciting to sedition. But we have yet to get the master tape from ABS-CBN, which first aired the interview," he said.

Dolina added that officials of the CIDG, NBI and SPD are set to hold a case conference to assess the situation and the charges that could be filed against Ong.

Bataoil, reacting to Ong’s declaration that he would rather be killed than be arrested, said the PNP "will ensure his safety." Once he is in custody, he added, "We will protect him, unless he takes his own life. But we will make sure he won’t do it."

Ranking NBI officials expressed dismay over Ong’s declaration, but said arresting and prosecuting him would not sway NBI agents.

"Okay lang. No love lost for Sammy Ong, panay pasaway ang ginawa niya dito (he’s incorrigible)," one official said.

At Malacañang, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Malacañang had nothing to do with the deployment of troops to the seminary, noting it was the Department of Justice (DOJ) "handling the matter at San Carlos."

He said it was up to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to file appropriate charges against Ong in court.

Voices Confirmed?

Former senator Francisco Tatad said a voice identification company based in the United States reportedly confirmed that the voices on the audio recording belonged to Mrs. Arroyo and Garcillano.

He said Voice Identification Inc. (VII), based in New Jersey, submitted two reports, one for each voice on the tape. The report on Mrs. Arroyo was dated June 3, while the one for Garcillano was dated June 9.

"Through critical listening and spectographic prints, the certified analysts at VII were able to determine that the conversations appeared ‘contiguous and unaltered’ and ‘legitimate reproductions of original telephone calls and that the voices belonged to Mrs. Arroyo and Garcillano,’" Tatad said.

However, Tatad did not have copies of the report available for the media.

Diaz was quick to dismiss the initial report released by Tatad, saying only the NBI and the PNP were authorized to issue such a report. He also said "there are already a lot of impersonators around."

Lone Catanduanes Rep. Joseph Santiago and the Movement of Concerned Citizens for Civil Liberties slammed the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for threatening to cancel the permits of television networks and radio stations if they broadcast the controversial audiotape recording.

Santiago said the NTC order "was totally uncalled for," while the movement said it represents the government’s attempt to suppress press freedom.

In a memorandum, the NTC airing of the tape amounted to a violation of the anti-wiretapping law.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said reports of Doble’s alleged illegal detention are part of the "squid tactics" of the Arroyo administration to divert attention from the "real issue," which is "whose voice is on the tape." — With Non Alquitran, Mike Frialde, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan, Edu Punay, Marvin Sy, Jaime Laude, AFP