Illegal detention charges filed vs Jaylo, 8 others

A warrant of arrest might soon be issued against Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force (AIR-TF) Director Reynaldo Jaylo after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed illegal detention charges against him and eight of his men last Friday afternoon.

"In the case of Director Jaylo since he was not included in the arrest, the court will decide if a warrant of arrest would be issued against him once the prosecution files the case in court," NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco said.

Eight AIR-TF men were rounded up by elements of the NBI Special Action Unit (SAU) and Special Task Force (STF) last Nov. 4. They were identified as Antonio Aviermo Jr., Gerardo Quigol, Redante Cortez, Fernando Jardin Jr., Edgar Ignacio, Abelardo de Jesus, Ernesto Nicomedes and Noy Jaylo.

SAU Assistant Regional Director Vicente de Guzman said State Prosecutor Romeo Senson arrived at the NBI office before 6 p.m. last Friday to receive the complaint against the eight AIR-TF men and Jaylo.

"We no longer brought the suspects to the DOJ office because they were too many, so the DOJ decided to send Prosecutor Senson to our office. Afterwards they were taken to the NBI detention facility," De Guzman said.

AIR-TF detainees, who were earlier arrested by Jaylo’s group, have also been relocated to the NBI facility.

Last Oct. 26, NBI Deputy Director for Intelligence Service Edmund Arugay forwarded to the DOJ a report detailing complaints made by relatives of detainees of the task force.

The NBI said the AIR-TF, previously known as the Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force, was a bogus law enforcement agency and had no mandate to make arrests.

Authority given to the presidential task force expired last July 9 and has not been renewed by President Arroyo.