AFP jumps gun on new witness

The military has jumped the gun on opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s witness.

In an apparent preemptive strike, the military exposed Capt. Marlon Mendoza, a military intelligence officer whom Lacson planned to present before the Senate today to corroborate the allegations of a whistle-blower that President Arroyo oversaw bribes to election officials, as a "swindler" facing a string of cases before a court martial.

Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual, Armed Forces public information chief, told reporters yesterday that Mendoza was relieved as deputy group commander of the Military Intelligence Group 23 (MIG-23) at the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Pascual said Mendoza is facing a general court martial for his direct involvement in the multimillion-peso "Mission Order Scam" at the ISAFP.

"He (Mendoza) was assigned to ISAFP on July 1998," he said. "Then, in January 2003, he was designated as assistant group commander of MIG-23, the Headquarters Support Group of ISAFP in charge of providing administrative support."

Lacson said Mendoza would come forward to validate the testimonies of former Malacañang functionary Michaelangelo Zuce that jueteng money was distributed to election officials at the La Vista, Quezon City home of Mrs. Arroyo to get the support of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In a text message to reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City yesterday, Mendoza confirmed that he worked briefly as a security aide for former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, who is widely believed to have been wiretapped in a phone conversation with Mrs. Arroyo in which he allegedly discussed electoral fraud during last year’s presidential election.

Fearing for his safety, the former Comelec commissioner went into hiding after Zuce and Army Capt. Val Lopez, who also served as Garcillano’s security aide, went before the media, he added.

Pascual said that in 2003, Mendoza was relieved due to his alleged involvement in the so-called Mission Order Scam in which mission orders and memorandum receipts were allegedly issued to civilian gun owners for a fee, ranging from P2,000 to P5,000.

"If the average amount of MRS/MOs was P3,500 then the scam might have generated about P8.7 million from January to October, 2003," he said.

Pascual said Mendoza was also involved in the issuance of appointments in the ISAFP roster for civilian agents, who were given fake ISAFP identification cards.

"These illegal acts are now the subject of a court martial trial for violations of Articles of War 95 (fraud against the government) and Articles of War No. 96 (conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman) before the General Court Martial No. 3," he said.

Mendoza made it appear that civilians who had been issued fake MRs, MOs and ISAFP identification cards were in the ISAFP’s roster, he alleged.

Pascual said a military pre-trial investigation officer had sent Mendoza a subpoena to appear before an investigating panel, but he had failed to do so.

"Sa ngayon hinahanap siya (We are looking for him)," he said.

"Wala na siya sa quarters niya. Meron nga siyang subpoena sa PTI para matuloy ang investigation sa kanya pero sa ngayon ay hindi namin siya makita (He has left his quarters. A subpoena has been issued to him so the investigation can continue, but we cannot find him)."

Although missing, Mendoza remains in active service, he added.

However, Pascual did not explain why the military is only now revealing Mendoza’s criminal charges in public, when his case has been facing trial for more than two years.

Responding to questions, Pascual said Mendoza had been identified with the KAWAL Pilipino, a shadowy military group that was unmasked by the government after holding a press conference to denounce the Arroyo administration in February 2004.

"Siya ay nakasama sa Kawal Pilipino noong January 2004 (He was with the Kawal Pilipino in Jan. 2004), but during the press conference he did not appear. So, hindi siya nasampahan ng kaso (he was not charged in court)."

Mendoza also called on his fellow military officers not to be afraid to tell the truth, as he would be doing in today’s Senate jueteng inquiry.

"My dear classmates, my fellow comrades in arms, let us not be afraid to stand up for the truth. It’s now high time to help our country change for the better... See you at the Senate," he said.

Mendoza said he does not know Lacson personally, and is wondering why the military is seeking to link him to the senator.

"I don’t know why I’m being linked to him (Lacson)," he said. "Ayoko ng politika (I don’t like politics). Just for the truth and justice, sobra na ang kabulukan sa bansa natin (The rot in our country is already too much)."

On Pascual’s threat that he could face sanctions if he appears before the Senate, Mendoza said it doesn’t matter anymore.

"Papayag ba kayo, na bawal ako magsalita for truth and justice (Will you agree that I be barred from telling the truth)?" he asked.

"Alam ko ang laro sa ISAFP at ng AFP, kaya natunugan ko na sila. The moment Zuce appeared on TV nagtago na ako, palipat lipat, minsan nakakatulog na ako sa isang upuan sa kalye, pagod na ako. Hindi ko lang na-anticipate, pamilya ko (I know the game at ISAFP and the AFP, so I was able to foresee it. The moment Zuce appeared on TV, I went into hiding, I went from place to place. Sometimes I fell asleep on a bench in the sidewalk. I am tired)," he said.

"When I decided, after a few months of hiding, to vacate them, andoon na ang Presidential Security Group, ISAFP at ilang elemento ng AFP. Na-harassed ang pamilya ko. Alam ko sisiraan nila ako (The Presidential Security Group was already there, the ISAFP and some elements of the AFP. My family was being harassed. I know that they will try to discredit me)."

Meanwhile, Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. appealed to the Armed Forces yesterday to respect the democratic process in the Senate which today resumes its joint inquiry on jueteng.

"Nakakapagtaka kung bakit under threat ang kanyang buhay e magsasalita lang naman siya sa Senado (It is surprising that his life is under threat when he will just testify before the Senate)," he said.

"Ang Senado ay isang institution na nagpapalakas ng demokrasya at hindi dapat ginaganito ng Armed Forces of the Philippines. Ito ay masamang signal sa ating mga institution, at dapat igalang ang ating Kongreso at Senado (The Senate is an institution that strengthens democracy, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines should not be doing this to the Senate. This is a bad signal for our institutions, and Congress and the Senate must be respected)."

Villar described the military’s move as a possible "panic reaction" over reports that Mendoza would be the next witness in the Senate jueteng probe.

"Parang natatakot yata ang AFP na hindi pa nagsasalita ay inuunahan na nila (The AFP seems so frightened that it is jumping the gun on the witness who has not yet testified)," he said.

"Baka lalong magkaroon ng importansya itong magiging witness na ito, ang testimoniya nito. Ako, personally, I have no idea... Ngayon nagkainteres ako kung bakit masyadong interesado ang AFP at preempt ang testimony (This witness might become important and also his testimony. I, personally have no idea... Now I am getting interested as to why the AFP is very much interested in preempting his testimony)," Villar said, adding he was concerned for Mendoza’s security. — With Christina Mendez, Teddy Molina