‘AFP spy’ nabbed in UP campus

MANILA, Philippines - An alleged intelligence officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was taken in by the university police inside the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City on Wednesday.

The blotter entry at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Anonas station identified the intelligence officer as First Lieutenant Fidorf Cimatu, supposedly assigned to the Philippine Army’s Intelligence Security Group.

According to the UP Diliman police, Cimatu was taken into custody at around 3:50 p.m. at the university’s academic oval in front of the College of Education.

The university’s police force said the military officer, along with his service vehicle, was brought to the campus police office after he claimed that he was leading a legitimate operation inside the university.

Police said Cimatu was with five other unidentified military officers when he was taken in “for verification.” The five other men were not identified in both the blotters of the UP and the QCPD.

Cimatu was turned over to the QCPD Anonas station for further verification. He was released after it was confirmed that the military has indeed coordinated with the QCPD to conduct an operation within the city.

The nature of the operation was not disclosed, although the Philippine Collegian – UP Diliman’s student publication – reported that the ISG members were supposedly conducting an “authorized operation to locate a target.”

A police official told The STAR that the military officers may not be aware that UP is not within the jurisdiction of QCPD, and that they have to coordinate with the university police if they wanted to conduct an operation inside the campus.

In 1989, UP and the Departments of National Defense and Interior and Local Government signed the Soto-Enrile Accord, which prohibits the entry of military and police officials inside campus premises without coordination with the administration.

Last month, UP Visayas Chancellor Rommel Espinosa cited the said agreement in criticizing members of the Philippine National Police who entered the university’s Iloilo campus to disperse a protest.

In a statement, UP Diliman chancellor Michael Tan expressed deep concern over the incident, saying “there has been a violation of a provision in the agreement between the university and the DND, requiring prior notification of the university of any military operations in any of our campuses.”

He said UP Diliman received no such request.