‘Terror expert’ has until today to appear before NBI

After failing to appear in two scheduled meetings, self-proclaimed anti-terrorism expert Samson Macariola will have until today to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to explain his side of the story.

NBI-Special Task Force (STF) regional director Reynaldo Esmeralda said they would not give Macariola another chance to clear his name if he continues to snub the invitation.

The NBI has called on Macariola to appear before a panel investigating the report that he allegedly sneaked in bomb components on a plane bound for Manila.

The report that made headlines in a major daily left aviation security officials red-faced and prompted a thorough reassessment of security measures in all airports nationwide.

Esmeralda said the summons was personally delivered by an agent to Macariola’s last known address on No. 20 B Lopez st., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. He said Macariola’s sister received the summons.

Macariola earlier sent feelers to the NBI that he would present himself.

Esmeralda said they waited on Sept. 8 and Sept. 11, but Macariola still failed to show up on the agreed day and time.

He stressed Macariola has until 10 a.m. today to appear.

"We will conduct a criminal investigation. We want to question him on the details of the incident such as who ordered him to do that, what kind of explosives did he use, what flight he took to get to Davao from Manila and finally to know his motive," Esmeralda said.

He stressed the report of Macariola’s alleged airport security breach "caused a public alarm."

Malacañang asserted Macariola should be charged for making the claims of sneaking in explosives onto a plane.

Threatened with investigation and possible criminal charges, Macariola denied carrying out the security check by boarding a flight to Manila from Davao with bomb materials.

Macariola insisted the materials he brought on the flight were "dummies" that he would be using in a training module for airport security in Davao.

Macariola had apologized for the stunt and blamed the reporter who wrote the news report that caused the fiasco.

He insisted that he clearly said that the whole exercise was only a simulation but the reporter allegedly went ahead and "dramatized" the story.

Macariola used to teach at the NBI academy but his colleagues and former students doubted if he was a bomb expert.

They said Macariola specialized in ballistics and firearms, as an author of the book "Basic Technical Facts About Firearms and Ammunition" which was published in 2000, but never explosives.

NBI officials explained that in order to become an anti-terrorism expert, one should have formal training with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and attended other training seminars from experts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

A ranking NBI official said he already guessed Macariola pulled out the stunt when the story made the headline of a newspaper.

The official pointed out the manner and style used that made him guess who might have pulled the stunt.

In one of Macariola’s seminars, the official recalled the self-styled expert pulled out a video camera and showed the class a footage where he was able to sneak in explosives stashed inside a plastic bag into a shopping mall.

But the source said he was unable to confirm if Macariola carried real explosives.

The official frowned at Macariola’s method of showing off purported lapses in security.

"This goes against the principle in the intelligence community," the official stressed.

"He burned himself out as an intelligence agent. Pag intel ka, you should not expose yourself, in fact you should be keeping a low profile because once word gets out that you are a bomb expert, a lot of people would be after you," he said.

The official also raised the possibility of rebel groups kidnapping Macariola or any member of his family to secure his expertise. — Evelyn Macairan