NBI gives sanctuary to Ador Mawanay

National Bureau of Investigation Director Nestor Mantaring yesterday said they have given “temporary sanctuary” to controversial witness Angelo “Ador” Mawanay, who is reportedly seeking protection against opposition Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.

Mantaring said agents from the office of Deputy Director for Intelligence Service Ruel Lasala fetched Mawanay at the Department of Justice on Tuesday. For the meantime, he would be staying at the bureau.

“DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez turned him over to us. We would be giving him temporary sanctuary. I have not talked to Mawanay. I will leave it to Deputy Director Lasala to interview him then I would evaluate his statements,” said Mantaring.

He showed up at the DOJ Monday and claimed that Lacson was allegedly pressuring him to testify in the ZTE-national broadband network (NBN) deal. Gonzalez ordered the NBI to double-check his story.

Mawanay, along with his wife and two teenage sons, are currently housed in one of the rooms of the bureau’s custodial center.

The two NBI officials said they have not yet talked to the witness. Lasala instructed the Intelligence Special Operations Division (ISOD) under head agent Sixto Comia to inquire why he is seeking protection and to verify his allegations.

“Since it was only recently when Mawanay and his family came to the bureau, I told HA Comia to wait for him to settle down and be comfortable before they talk,” said Lasala. But while they would not be preventing Mawanay from leaving the NBI’s premises, Lasala said he would advise the witness to stay within the compound while they are still conducting investigation.

Mawanay led a colorful life as a witness and has appeared in several investigations. He first claimed to be an agent of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) during the term of former President Joseph Estrada.

In August 2001, he accused Lacson of involvement in drug trafficking and hidden wealth, but failed to produce evidence. He is a “star witness” of then Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) chief Victor Corpus, along with former narcotics agent Mary “Rosebud” Ong. He alleged that Lacson deposited millions he made from illegal drug trading and kidnapping in bank accounts in Hong Kong and the United States.

He also reportedly linked Lacson’s men, former Senior Superintendents Michael Ray Aquino and Cesar Mancao to the murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. The senator was also said to be responsible for the killing of casino emplo­yee Edgar Bentain, who leaked the videotape showing Estrada gambling with Atong Ang.

He also claimed that Sen. Loren Legarda purchased P8.9 million worth of smuggled cellular phones from him and that he delivered a shoebox filled with cash to then senator Noli de Castro, now Vice President, in year 2001. The money reportedly came from Lacson.

He was detained at the Senate sergeant at arms until he could prove his allegations against the three legislators, but he was spirited away by ISAFP agents.

On April 2004, he made a complete turn around and held a press conference denying all his allegations.

In other developments, House Speaker Prospero Nograles thumbed down a request of former military asset Mawanay for protective custody, saying he is neither a member of the House of Representatives nor a witness to any legislative inquiry. A statement from the Speaker’s office hinted that Mawanay, who claims he has been receiving threats from Lacson for his refusal to testify in the NBN probe, sought protection from the chamber.

“The House can only give protection to beleaguered members of Congress just like what it did when rebellion cases were filed against the so-called Batasan 5, or to witnesses in an ongoing House investigation. Mawanay is neither of both,” Nograles said.