Man: PNP hired me to mimic Capt. Faeldon

MANILA, Philippines - A man who claimed to be a long-time police informant surfaced on Monday to claim he was paid to impersonate missing Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon. The Philippine National Police (PNP), however, dismissed the claim as part of another effort to discredit the police. In an interview on dzBB radio, the man - who was identified only as Efren - claimed he was offered P185,000 for the job, but got only P20,000, for impersonating Faeldon in a phonepatch interview aired on television. He claimed his handler is Sr. Supt. Allen Bantolo, head of the Bulacan provincial police. He said another police officer, "Gen. Ferrer," was also involved in the operation. Efren said he got a briefing from Bantolo on what questions to expect and how to answer them. Radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz, who met with Efren Monday, reported that the purported even sent text messages to his friends and told them he would be on television at the time. When asked why he was chosen to impersonate Faeldon, he said, "siguro magaling (because I'm good)." He added he had been a "long-time police asset." Efren said he was told to expect a call from television reporter Ces Drilon. He said he even asked her to text him her questions in advance. He said her texted-in questions included if he was indeed Faeldon and what he thought about the pardon for nine Magdalo officers who apologized to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Another question sought his message to Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. When he was interviewed via phone patch, he said he was at the Bulacan police provincial office, with a certain "Gen. Ferrer." After the interview he was brought to Manila, he claimed. "After a few days I asked Drilon to call me again because I was going to say something else," he said in Filipino. But Efren said he became afraid last weekend when "Gen. Ferrer" wanted him to meet at SM Megamall, especially after the official berated him and asked for the cell phones and SIM cards used in the operation. "Natanggap ko tawag kahapon, minumura ako. Dati tinatawag ako sa Crame, hindi sa labas. Ngayon lang ako nakipagkita sa airport sa mall o sa Makati (I fear for my life because this was the first time I was berated. And my handler used to meet me in PNP headquarters in Crame, but now wanted to meet me outside, like in the airport or the mall)," the supposed informant said. He said that when he said the job was not yet over, Ferrer was "impatient." He said he then demanded his balance of P150,000. Efren said that when he received the first installment of his payment amounting to P20,000, the payment was done in the "White House," the PNP chief's residence in Camp Crame. But he said he did not see PNP chief Dir. Gen. Avelino Razon Jr in the area during the payoff. Efren said he sent a text message to Drilon Sunday to ask for forgiveness. He said she called him up and sounded surprised when he "confessed." "Sinabi ko di ako si Faeldon, nagulat siya. Sagot niya magkita kami. Sabi ko gustuhin ko man may nakamonitor sa inyo (I told her I was not Faeldon, she was surprised. She wanted to meet. I said she is being monitored)," he said. In the interview, Efren also said that before impersonating Faeldon, he was also made to impersonate another Magdalo member, Lawrence San Juan. San Juan has since turned his back on the Magdalos. When asked for his motivation, he said they would stand to get a reward if Faeldon were captured. Faeldon carries a P1 million bounty for this arrest. "Pag inilabas si Faeldon may matatanggap akong biyaya. Sa madaling salita, pera yun (If Faeldon surfaces because of us, we will receive a big reward. In short, it's all about the money)," he said. Faeldon remains at large after escaping a police operation that ended a six-hour siege of a hotel in Makati City last November 29. The Marine captain first escaped custody in December 2005 after attending a court hearing for his coup d' etat case at the Makati City Regional Trial Court, and visited several police and military camps to embarrass the government before he was captured in 2006. He was rearrested in January 2006 in Malabon, but again escaped his guards after participating in the November 29, 2007 Makati standoff and was among those charged with rebellion over the Peninsula Manila incident. Meanwhile, PNP spokesman Sr. Supt. Nicanor Bartolome on Monday dismissed a man's claim, saying it appeared to be part of another effort to destroy the PNP's credibility. "Walang katotohanan yan, di yan nangyari. Siguro magpakilala siya at magpaimbestiga, lalabas ang katotohanan. Ang aming stand walang ganyang nangyari di nangyari yan at napakaimposible po (It's simply not true, it didn't happen. If the guy would come forward and allow himself to investigate, perhaps the truth will come out. But until then, our stand is that what he's saying is impossible)," Bartolome said in an interview on dzBB radio. "Isang paninira na naman ito sa pambansang pulisya, napakaimposible ang sinabi niya (This is just another attempt to destroy the PNP's name. What he is saying is impossible)," he added. He said that if the "Gen. Ferrer" Efren was referring to is PNP director of intelligence Dir. Dante Ferrer, it would be impossible because he is in Indonesia on "official business." "Malayo ang kinukwento (What Efren is saying is really far from the truth)," Bartolome said. - GMANews.TV