Ray Aquino a 'high risk' subject for NBI

MANILA, Philippines (June 25, 2011) - Because of possible threats to his life, former police colonel Michael Ray Aquino who is to be extradited this weekend from the United States is a "high risk" subject to carry.

This is how National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Director for Intelligence Ruel Lasala assessed his agency's challenge during Aquino's transport and detention.

According to sources, Aquino is expected to arrive in the country tomorrow (Sunday).

Lasala explained that they must be on guard against the hitherto unidentified mastermind of the Dacer-Corbito double murder case who may want to prevent Aquino from becoming a state witness. Moreover, remnants of criminal groups that Aquino had neutralized years back in connection with his police works might want to see him dead out of retribution, added Lasala.

Lasala, however, clarified that the reports were “unverified and subject for validation” and the NBI would be coordinating with their counterparts at the Philippine National Police-Intelligence Group (PNP-IG) to confirm the reported threats against Aquino.

Aquino had served as chief operations officer of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Task Force (PAOCTF), the police unit suspected to have carried out the murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.

At that time, PAOCTF was headed by former PNP chief, now Senator, Panfilo Lacson.

The US government had granted the petition of the Philippine government to extradite Aquino who was serving a sentence in the US for espionage.

Aquino would stand trial in the Dacer-Corbito killings as among the principal accused and Lasala said he could end up as a target for assassination of the mastermind behind the Dacer-Corbito murder case to prevent the possibility of him becoming a state witness.

NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula gave assurance Aquino would be committed at the NBI Detention Center under tight security and there will be no special treatment accorded to him while under their custody.

As a privilege that is also to given to other inmates, his legal counsel would be allowed to visit him in jail but would not be allowed to stay with him 24 hours everyday of his incarceration in the NBI.

“Visiting hours would be observed,” Gatdula said.

Gatdula also assured the safety of Aquino while in detention. He said that even if Aquino would be mingling with other prisoners, his life would not be endangered. “That is why we have security guards in the area. We are assuring his security. It is our job to secure all the people detained in our center,” he said.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who has authority over the NBI, said she is satisfied with the security plan laid out by the NBI for Aquino’s arrival in the country. She said the NBI is making “sufficient preparations” for the coming of Aquino.

There have been previous instances when high profile detainees were spared from spending nights at the detention cell out of consideration that it posed a security risk.

The NBI wanted to avoid the possibility that a high profile inmate would be harmed while in detention.

Sources at the NBI described the security plan for Aquino as "over-preparedness, "an “overkill,” which is the better option on matters of security.

Transporting the subject from the international airport to the NBI main office in Manila City is a critical phase in handling cases like Aquino's.

An NBI official said the security measures would be the same as those provided to former police officers Cezar Mancao and Glenn Dumlao when they were extradited separately in 2009.

The NBI used more than 50 security personnel and 12 vehicles to secure Dumlao when he arrived from the US following extradition.

When the NBI secured Mancao, more than 100 heavily armed personnel escorted the former police officer when they fetched him at the airport.

Gatdula said Aquino’s detention at the NBI would be temporary pending the decision of the court. (From philstar.com)