Pamatong did not advocate any criminal act, lawyer says

MANILA, Philippines - Ely Pamatong merely wanted the government to take a tougher stand in its territorial disputes with China and did not advocate any criminal act, his lawyer said yesterday.

Salvador Panelo said Pamatong merely talked to the group tagged behind last Monday’s foiled bombing attack.

He said Pamatong told the group “to perform things to stop” the seemingly soft stance of the government in its disputes with China.

And by “things,” Pamatong meant peaceful actions like protest rallies and mass actions, Panelo said.

“He did not tell them to commit any crime. He is a lawyer, he knows that,” Panelo said.

“Basta hindi ko sinabi sa kanya yun (I did not tell them to do that),” Panelo quoted Pamatong as saying.

“He was shocked. He did not know they would go to NAIA,” Panelo added, referring to the foiled attempt of the group to place explosives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Monday.

Pamatong has been linked to the attempt following his television interview admitting that he personally knew the suspects who attempted the bombing attack.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested the three suspects, one of them claiming to be a “general” of USAFFE, following a tip that they were about to plant an explosive at the NAIA.

The NBI said the group was also planning to plant explosives in establishments owned by Chinese.

Grandeur Pepito Guerrero, Emmanuel San Pedro and Sonny Yohanon have been charged for illegal possession of explosives following their alleged plot to bomb four targets that included the Chinese embassy to demonstrate their anger against China.

Guerrero, alias Jojo, is the alleged leader of the group. He claimed to be a general of USAFFE, the acronym of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East during World War II.

The three initially denied the charges but later claimed they are “defenders of the Filipino people” and consider China and the “oligarch taipans” who are engaged in monopolistic business practices and illegal mining in the country as their arch enemies.

Pamatong, on the other hand, was arrested at the NAIA on Wednesday, based on the standing warrant of arrest issued by the Quezon City court in 2004 for inciting to sedition.

The NBI took Pamatong into custody for investigation following his televised statements.

NBI Director Virgilio Mendez said they would be digging into the activities of Pamatong and his affiliates in the USAFFE.

He said there is a possibility the NBI would be making further arrests.

Aside from the filing of charges for illegal possession of explosives against the three suspects, Mendez said they are also checking if additional charges can be filed.

“If we have sufficient evidence to file, to recommend them for prosecution (under the) Anti-Human Security Act. Terrorism falls under this law, but this is still part of the follow through investigation,” he said.

Mendez said Pamatong admitted Guerrero is among his men.

“We want to know if that is an authorized activity of Guerrero or if it was sanctioned by him. If he was the one who gave the orders, that would be a different story,” Mendez said.

He said the NBI would be sending investigators to Cagayan de Oro City where Pamatong resides to check if there are people there who are sympathetic to his cause.

The NBI would also visit the radio station where Pamatong earlier gave an interview and ask for a copy of their tapes.

Mendez said all NBI regional offices were given instructions to check out if Pamatong has any affiliates in the other provinces.

“This is what we would want to check, the coverage of his scope, the people around him and who are his affiliates. What is his real advocacy,” he said.

Mendez said the NBI is checking if Pamatong and his followers had firearms. “I will check with the team that is working on this. I am sure that there is an open investigation already because that is part of the report that we did when Justice Secretary Leila de Lima asked us about this investigation.”

Mendez said the NBI has information that there are many USAFFE members in the country. – With Evelyn Macairan