Solons to summon Lacson, Calimlim over wiretapping

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Panfilo Lacson, military intelligence head Lt. Gen. Jose Calimlim and a representative of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) will be summoned to a House inquiry on the alleged spying on opposition congressmen.

Rep. Roilo Golez (LAMP, Parañaque) told reporters yesterday he will summon to a hearing "the usual suspects" named by Lakas congressmen who claimed their office telephones have been tapped.

Lacson could not be reached for comment yesterday on the prospective summons, while PNP spokesman Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora literally laughed off the latest allegations by the political opposition.

"I don't know if it's true. In the first place, what's the reason for us to wiretap them (congressmen)?" Zamora asked.

"Bakit naman namin pag-aaksayahan ng panahon ang mga bagong congressmen to wiretap them? Ano ba naman ang maririnig namin na hindi namin naririnig, napakahilig naman nila sa mass media, lahat ng sinasabi nila, naririnig na natin (Why would we waste our time eavesdropping on the new congressmen? What would we hear from them that we haven't already heard since they always use the mass media anyway)?" Zamora pointed out.

Deputy Minority Leader Sergio Apostol (Lakas, Leyte) charged the other day that he and his colleagues had discovered that their office phones were found positive for wiretapping devices two weeks ago.

Aside from Apostol, the other congressmen whose office telephones were allegedly bugged were those of Mike Defensor of Quezon City, Juan Miguel Zubiri of Bukidnon, Hernani Braganza of Pangasinan, Magtanggol Gunigundo of Valenzuela, Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, Federico Sandoval of Navotas-Malabon, and Rolando Andaya Jr. of Camarines Sur.

Apostol said they requested the help of Rep. Jackie Enrile of Cagayan who, in turn, sought the assistance of three surveillance experts from the military.

He said Enrile's experts found the tapping was done in the Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Co. (PLDT)'s central exchange. The three experts will also be summoned to the House hearing.

Andaya, however, doubted if something would come out of the inquiry.

"We have been told that bugs can be turned on and off anytime. Now that their presence has been revealed, chances are they have been temporarily disconnected," he said. "I think we have reached the stage where technological innovation can outsmart any legislative probe."

Zubiri, on the other hand, said government agents are wasting their time and taxpayers' money spying on the opposition.

"We are not enemies of the State and President Estrada. In fact, we sincerely want to help the President in running this country by telling him what we think is wrong with his policies and pronouncements," he said.

Zamora, who himself was once a congressman, reiterated though his challenge to the lawmakers concerned to file formal charges against people whom they suspect were behind the illegal wiretapping of their telephones.

He said the alleged wiretapping should be investigated by the National Telecommunications Commission so that the issue will not be just for publicity.

The Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Co. denied yesterday that its facilities were being used by government agents to eavesdrop on the opposition.

At the same time, Ramon Isberto, PLDT vice president and spokesman, said that a quick check of the PLDT central exchange made by the company's technical team Thursday night showed no trace of wiretapping or tampering.

"PLDT's central facilities have not been used in this kind of illegal activity. It is not allowed by management. And if ever something like this has taken place, it was done without our knowledge or consent," he said.

Isberto added that if proven that there were PLDT personnel involved, he or she will be dealt with accordingly.

However, he said that in fairness to the congressmen, there are many ways in which wiretapping could happen and it may not involve the network itself.

"We're not saying that it did not happen. Electronic eavesdropping can happen in a variety of ways and need not go through the exchange," he pointed out.

In Legazpi City, Speaker Manuel Villar said that the House will create a committee to investigate the reported bugging of the opposition's office phones.

Villar, who was guest speaker at commencement exercises at Bicol University, said the committee will verify if there really was wiretapping, who were behind it, as well as the possible motive.

At the same time, he advised his colleagues to refrain from using the phone when discussing highly confidential matters. "Huwag na tayong gumamit ng telepono kung ang ating pag-uusapan ay maseselang bagay. Ako kahit noon pa ay talagang hindi nagtitiwala sa telepono. Mahirap na (Let's not discuss sensitive matters over the phone. Even I have not trusted the phone when it comes to this)."

Meanwhile, a sectoral congressman denounced the Estrada administration yesterday for resorting to what he described as a "Marcosian tactic" of spying on the political opposition through illegal wiretapping.

"If an office as high as that of a congressman could be tapped by the police and the military, this is a cause for alarm. It means that other lower officials, businessmen and ordinary citizens could be victims of this Marcosian tactic," said Rep. Renato Magtubo.-- With Marichu Villanueva, Marigold Yao-Endriga, Cet Dematera