Magdalo soldier confirms ‘Oplan Hackle’

First Lt. Lawrence San Juan confirmed yesterday the existence of Oplan Hackle, which the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) exposed early this year and was allegedly designed to overthrow the government.

In a 13-page affidavit obtained by The STAR, San Juan detailed how the members of the Magdalo group were recruited, how the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003 was planned, their escape from detention, and their life on the run until his arrest in Batangas a few months ago.

A source said the documents seized from arrested Magdalo soldiers in Quezon City last July 7 supported the information contained in San Juan’s affidavit.

In his statement, San Juan indicated his willingness to cooperate with government authorities in identifying the groups behind the effort to overthrow the Arroyo administration.

San Juan said since becoming a member of the Makabayan Kawal Pilipino (MKP), he has attended its meetings for 13 months and fugitive former Sen. Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan was almost always present in all the meetings.

He disclosed that MKP was behind Oplan Hackle, also called "the last revolution." It was composed of five units and was headed by fugitive former Army Capt. Felix Turingan.

Honasan, he said, was political leader and agitator for the military component, while lawyers Roel Pulido and Christopher Belmonte worked as propaganda team leader and liaison officer, respectively.

San Juan said it was Pulido who provided pointers for his first interview with ABS-CBN aired last Jan. 23, a few days after their escape from Fort Bonifacio.

He also confirmed that they stayed at the place of Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias in East Fairview in Quezon City for over a month from the time they escaped until he was captured.

A few hours before his arrest in Batangas with Belmonte, San Juan claimed they met members of the New People’s Army (NPA). A source said he could be referring to the group of barangay captains, whose safehouse was found to have a cache of firearms when raided by government agents last week.

According to San Juan, Capt. Milo Maestrecampo had approached him as early as second quarter of 2001 and discussed with him the problems in the AFP.

He said Maestrecampo mentioned that these problems should be addressed radically and junior officers must contribute to the reforms.

After the Oakwood mutiny and their eventual detention in 2003, San Juan said a rift within the group had developed due to differences and to suspicion that there are members who benefited financially from the movement.

Investigators admitted that San Juan’s cooperation was a major breakthrough in the investigation and eventual prosecution of people behind the effort to overthrow the government.