Jaylo sends SOS over row with NBI

Reynaldo Jaylo, head of the Anti-Illegal Recruitment-Task Force (AIR-TF), appealed to President Arroyo yesterday to settle the "conflict" between his unit and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Jaylo said he has written the President several times since August, but up to now has received no reply.

"I have written the President more than twice, but up to now we are still waiting for clarification on the government’s policy," he said at a press conference yesterday.

The AIR-TF chief did not discount the possibility that a reply to the query may have been issued, "but somebody might have intervened so that I would never receive the letter."

Jaylo said he was prompted to call for a press conference because the NBI continues to malign his credibility and reputation.

Also present during the press conference were relatives of AIR-TF agents arrested by the NBI for alleged extortion and illegal detention.

Jaylo was joined by four lawyers — Carlo Uminga, Frank Chavez, Marik Antonio and Ferndinand Topacio.

Chavez said Jaylo cannot be charged for usurpation of authority because "his appointment was valid."

The NBI has been claiming the task force lost its mandate to operate against illegal recruiters when President Arroyo did not renew Executive Order 325 that created Jaylo’s unit.

After the authority given to the task force expired last July, the unit adopted the name AIR-TF, which the NBI insists has no power to make arrests.

The AIR-TF is an attached unit of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Jaylo said he is particularly concerned about victims of illegal recruiters still flocking to their office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

"Our detractors say the AIR-TF is a bogus unit. Sila nga genuine pero wala naman silang nagawa. In just over a year since the task force was created in July 2004, we have arrested no less than 500 illegal recruiters, which is more than the number of arrests they have made over the years," he said.

Last Sept. 29, the POEA clarified that Jaylo was assigned to their welfare and employment branch, that they did not employ any police operatives and that since July 9, they have coordinated with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) whenever conducting an operation.

POEA Administrator Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz ordered Jaylo on Oct. 11 to hold office at the POEA building and not at the AIR-TF office at Rizal Memorial.

He was asked to report to POEA Deputy Administrator Viveca Catalig.

But Jaylo maintained that a document issued by Malacañang showed that he was appointed as director of AIR-TF and had authority to make arrests.

He added that Baldoz has no authority to force him to hold office at the POEA since the order of the President still recognizes him as head of the task force.

Last month, the NBI conducted an entrapment operation in Pasig City and allegedly caught 11 AIR-TF men in the act of extorting money.

Last Nov. 4, the NBI raided the AIR-TF office and transferred eight detainees accused of illegal recruitment to their own facility. The bureau agents also apprehended eight task force personnel.