Man fools public with claim of being fugitive Magdalo soldier

The public was apparently taken for a ride yesterday by an impostor who introduced himself as fugitive Army 1Lt. Lawrence San Juan, one of the renegade junior officers who led a failed mutiny in 2003.

Authorities noted an impostor apparently took the place of San Juan when he was interviewed by several radio stations, hours after the "real" Army officer had been recaptured by security forces at a road checkpoint in Padre Garcia, Batangas.

The man who introduced himself as the fugitive Army officer was interviewed starting around 7 a.m. by several radio stations, including dzRH and dzMM.

In the interviews, "San Juan" warned of a possible attack on Malacañang on Friday, the eve of the 20th anniversary of the EDSA 1 popular uprising.

For starters, the man announced before Joe Taruc, host of a dzRH morning radio program, that President Arroyo’s downfall could come by the end of this month.

The man claimed at least 10 active military generals would be coming out and declaring their withdrawal of support from Mrs. Arroyo before the month ends.

"GMA (Mrs. Arroyo) will be ousted by the end of February with at least 10 active military generals who are about to surface and to announce their withdrawal of support from President Arroyo," said the man who introduced himself as San Juan.

Taruc himself appeared puzzled when the military and police separately confirmed San Juan had been arrested at a road checkpoint at Padre Garcia, Batangas at about 5:45 a.m. yesterday.

Minutes after "San Juan" gave a similar interview to dzMM, the radio station broke the news of San Juan’s arrest hours earlier.

"Well, definitely it must be a different (San Juan) because Lt. San Juan was captured 5:45 a.m.," Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief Lt. Gen. Pedro Cabuay said.

"I think (the) interview was held at 7 a.m. So definitely it must a different person or it must be taped," Cabuay said.

Cabuay himself personally delivered San Juan to the Army headquarters at Fort Bonifacio in Makati City.

"What you heard were pre-taped interviews... or another voice because we have (recaptured) him," added Army chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) also noted San Juan and his group were apparently exerting all efforts to get their message across, even through insidious means.

PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao declared an impostor took the place of San Juan in interviews for several radio stations on the very same day the fugitive Army officer was recaptured.

"How come Lt. San Juan was being interviewed at around 7 a.m. over radio stations when he was arrested at 5:45 a.m.? Maybe it’s a prerecorded (interview) or maybe an impostor Lt. San Juan," Lomibao said at a news conference in Batangas.

The military said San Juan was positively identified by a Philippine Military Academy (PMA) upperclassman when the renegade officer was intercepted in Batangas.

San Juan was recaptured along with two suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas aboard a Mitsubishi van (XAY 269).

The military and police had set up a roadblock to intercept the renegade Army official after attending a meeting with top communist rebel leaders in nearby Rosario town.

San Juan escaped from military detention last January along with Capt. Nathaniel Rabonza and First Lieutenants Sonny Sarmiento and Patricio Bumindang — the other Army officers who took part in the Oakwood mutiny in 2003.

"San Juan" claimed before the radio interviews that they had escaped, not to evade prosecution on rebellion charges, but to pursue their cause in overthrowing the President.

He also said if they succeeded in ousting Mrs. Arroyo, a military junta would rule for a couple of months before an election would be called. — With Arnel Ozaeta