New CIDG chief runs after Ping

The newly installed director of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) vowed yesterday to pursue criminal charges against police officials linked to alleged illegal activities involving Sen. Panfilo Lacson, former PNP chief.

Chief Superintendent Eduardo Matillano made the pledge on his first day as CIDG chief, saying he had discussed with other CIDG officials the status of the cases filed against senior police officials identified with Lacson, especially Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Acop and his brother, Chief Superintendent Romeo Acop, Superintendent Francisco Villaroman, and Senior Superintendents Michael Ray Aquino and Cesar Mancao.

"We talked about the cases now being handled by the CIDG," Matillano said, adding that among them was the Nov. 24, 2000 kidnapping and murder of publicist Bubby Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.

Matillano defended his plan by saying he was merely complying with directives from PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. to cleanse the police force of bad eggs and scalawags.

Matillano also said he would press for the extradition of Mancao and Aquino, known Lacson protégés, who have been dropped from the PNP rolls for absence without official leave (AWOL).

Mancao and Aquino reportedly fled to the United States following the EDSA II people power revolt that ousted Josepg Estrada as president in January 2001.

"I will be coordinating with the justice department for the extradition of these two officers to face charges here," Matillano said.

Citing new evidence which have been uncovered, Matillano said he will also seek the re-opening of wiretapping charges against Lacson, his 1971 classmate at the Philippine Military Academy.

Matillano exposed wiretapping activities of Lacson’s group when he led a raid on the office of Task Force Alpha at the second floor of Kiangan Hall at Camp Crame a few months before the 1998 national elections.

Several wiretapping materials and devices were confiscated by the raiders, blowing the lid off alleged spying activities by Lacson’s group against Estrada’s contenders in the presidential elections.

"There is nothing unusual here. I’m just doing my job. This is a continuation of what I have done while I was chief of Task Force Amihan of the defunct Presidential Anti-Crime Commission," Matillano said.

The case was dismissed under the watch of Estrada who installed Lacson, his most trusted police ally, as PNP chief in November 1999.

Matillano sought to reopen the case last year.

He said the Sandiganbayan has cleared him of graft charges lodged against him as an offshoot of the raid on the Task Force Alpha office.

At the same time, Matillano gave assurances that he would help in the prosecution of murder charges against Rod Strunk, American husband of slain actress Nida Blanca, and alleged accomplice Philip Medel.

"Other equally high profile cases being handled by the CIDG will be pursued with vigor until they (suspects) are brought before the bar of justice," Matillano said.

Under a major revamp of the PNP, Matillano was initially picked as police director for Ilocos Region vice Chief Superintendent Arturo Lomibao who was nominated CIDG chief.

However, there was a last-minute revision in the reshuffle and the CIDG post was given instead to Matillano while Lomibao retained his position as Region I director.

A highly reliable source said former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, who blew the whistle on Estrada’s alleged deep involvement in jueteng operations, intervened in the appointment of Matillano as Ilocos Region police director.

The source said it took only one phone call by Singson to Malacañang to recall Matillano’s new appointment.

"It seems that Governor Singson, for reasons known only to himself, doesn’t like General Matillano to be assigned in Ilocandia," he said.

He added that even Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr., concurrent chairman of the National Police Commission which confirmed the overhaul plan, was merely informed by Camp Crame that the appointments of Matillano and Lomibao have been recalled at the last minute.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Jesus Verzosa took over as new chief of the PNP Aviation Security Group, replacing Chief Superintendent Marcelo Ele who was elevated to Deputy Director for Investigation and Detective Management.

Ele succeeds Chief Superintendent Oscar Calderon who was named earlier as Central Luzon police director.