Mom's hysterics lead agents to hiding place

MANILA,Philippines - Marlene Aguilar-Pollard chatted up National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents who came looking for the third time for her son yesterday, talking about her writing career and offering them coffee.

But every time the agents approached the door to a room that they had not noticed in two previous visits in their search for her fugitive son, Jason Aguilar Ivler, she went hysterical.

The agents eventually persuaded Aguilar-Pollard to calm down and open the locked door.

Rosauro Bautista, executive officer of the NBI Intelligence Services, said Ivler’s mother was initially reluctant to allow government agents to search her house at Hillside Drive in Blue Ridge, Quezon City, but she later agreed to the search on condition that only four members of the NBI would be allowed to enter.

“Paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi ng malakas na boses na apat lang ang pwedeng pumasok (She kept on saying in a loud voice that only four NBI agents would be allowed in),” Bautista said.

They first searched Jason’s room, then the toilet, then the gym. When they saw the stairs leading to the second floor, Mrs. Aguilar started to get hysterical, accusing them in a loud voice of harassing the household in the absence of a search warrant: “Wala naman kayong search warrant, hina-harass ninyo lang kami. Get out of my house!”

Bautista tried to calm her down, sensing something was amiss. He assured her that he believed Ivler was not there but they needed to do it and that the whole thing would be over in a while.

She invited them to have coffee on the second floor of the house, trying to divert their attention. She engaged them in light conversation. She said that she is a psychology graduate. She had written several books on espionage that were bought by readers in the US and other countries.

Bautista noticed some of the books on top of the tables like “Heaven’s Gate,” “Evil Light” and some other spy thrillers.

After having coffee, Bautista declared that the search had to continue.

Bautista noticed a storage room near the servant’s quarters and as they were approaching the place, Mrs. Aguilar again went hysterical.

Lawyer Lito Magno, chief of the NBI Special Action Unit (SAU), noticed a small area on the landing space of staircase. Brooms and mops partially covered the darkly lit area. He used his flashlight and looked inside.

A volley of gunfire met him. Magno immediately took cover. Bautista drew his 9 mm pistol and returned fire.

During the exchange of fire, Bautista shouted “Jason, lumabas ka dyan kundi babatuhin kita ng granada (Jason come out or else I will throw a grenade at you).”

Ivler later came out of his hiding place armed with an AR-15 rifle and firing at the NBI agents.

“I change my magazine ammo and fired at him successively,” Bautista said.

“Nakita kong bumulagta siya sa harap ko, niluhuran ko siya at sumigaw ng posas! posas! (I knelt beside him and asked for handcuffs).”

Other agents arrived and placed handcuffs on Ivler. After the smoke had cleared agent Ana Lira Labao who was standing behind Bautista was wounded.

A bullet also grazed the thigh of Magno.

All the time Mrs. Aguilar watched in shock. They rushed Ivler to the Qurino Memorial Medical Center along with Labao and Magno. Mrs. Aguilar was brought to the NBI headquarters.

“Pakiramdam ko sinet-up kami talaga ni Mrs. Aguilar. Pinapasok kaming apat para kung magputukan man, kaya kami nitong si Jason dahil hindi kami pamilyar sa lugar,” said Bautista. (I felt we were set up by Mrs. Aguilar so in case there was a shootout Jason would still have a chance because we were unfamiliar with the place).