January 2, 2002, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Explosives expert to testify vs Miraflor, by Christine Herrera,

January 2, 2002, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Explosives expert to testify vs Miraflor, by Christine Herrera,

AN EXPLOSIVES expert identified with Sen. Panfilo Lacson Jr. will testify against Lt. Senior Grade Donn Anthony Miraflor and other former Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force officials suspected to be plotting to destabilize the government, military spy chief Col. Victor Corpus said yesterday.

Petty Officer I Ruben Sotto, former explosives expert of the defunct Special Reaction Unit which Miraflor used to head, has admitted that Miraflor ordered him to keep the C4 and TNT explosives and timing devices and refuse to turn them over to Special Warfare Group (SWAG) Commander Rosauro Sarmiento.

Corpus, chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said four other military officers would testify against Miraflor.

The four officers had already issued either joint or individual affidavits to corroborate Sotto's claim, Corpus said.

Corpus added Sotto would also testify that Miraflor asked him to keep 100 blocks of C4 and TNT explosives.

Corpus said he was surprised that Isafp teams had recovered so many explosives, more than twice the 40 blocks originally procured by Miraflor from the Philippine Navy.

"The explosives recovered were more than what were officially issued to Miraflor when he was SRU chief. We want to find out why he had to source a huge amount of C4 and TNT blocks," Corpus said.

"The investigation into his role in destabilization plots is ongoing."

Confined to barracks

Also yesterday, Navy chief Vice Admiral Victorino Hingco, said Miraflor had been under the custody of the Naval Education and Training Command in Zambales since Dec. 30 and that no charge had yet been leveled against him.

"(The case is under) preliminary investigation," Hingco said in an interview in Camp Aguinaldo.

Hingco also disclosed that no other officers had been "detained," noting that only Miraflor had been "confined to barracks."

Armed Forces of the Philippines' chief of staff Gen. Diomedio Villanueva reiterated that Miraflor was being investigated for his unit's failure to return the explosives.

Unsafe place

However, he hinted that a case could be filed because the explosives were placed in an unsafe place.

"A total of 100 blocks of C-4 and detonation devices, and these were placed in a location which was not safe or even sanctioned by our regulations," Villanueva exclaimed.

Asked to comment on Lacson's denial of participation in any destabilization plot, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said Lacson side would be considered in an investigation.

"Well, that's his side of the story and we will have that considered by our investigators," Reyes said.

Villanueva echoed Reyes, saying, "I am not willing to go further than what the present investigation, which is in progress, uncovers. I would not speculate on whatever involvement of personalities on this matter."

'National threat'

But the chair of the House defense committee said the military establishment should not lightly take the discovery of a large cache of deadly explosives from a known supporter of a leading member of the opposition such as Lacson.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. declared, "This should be seriously investigated because if these explosives can flatten several buildings, their possession in the wrong hands represents a serious national threat," Pichay said.

"We should not take this lightly because the explosives can be used to destabilize the government," he said.

Pichay said that if Miraflor did not intend to use the explosives to destabilize the Macapagal administration, he could sell them to a group that will use them for the purpose.

However, Pichay ruled out the launching of a House inquiry, saying he felt that the military could do the job.

Court martial

Corpus disclosed that Miraflor had secured 60 blocks of C4 military explosives from the Navy inventory on Sept. 17, 2000.

Of the hoard, Corpus said 55 blocks, had been accounted for and turned over recently by Sotto to the Naval Intelligence Special Force.

Corpus said a post-operation report revealed that 4.5 pounds (2.5 kilos) of C4 and TNT explosives and timing devices were found "missing." He said the explosives were "more than enough" wipe out military establishments, oil depots, level Malacanang, other government offices, and major business establishments.

Corpus added that in August 2001, SWAG's Sarmiento ordered the former SRU men to turn over the explosives but that Miraflor defied the order, in the process putting at risk the lives of his fellow military men.

For this reason, Corpus said, Miraflor and other SRU personnel and officials would be subjected to court martial proceedings because of their alleged involvement in destabilization efforts related to the opposition's plot to overthrow the government.

"Unaccounted explosives used by the SRU during their operational activities while attached to the former PAOCTF were recovered by Isafp teams," Corpus said.

Corpus said Miraflor would be subjected to a court martial on charges of "fraud against the government and conduct unbecoming a military officer and a gentleman."

The offenses violated the Articles of War, the Isafp chief said.

Destabilization

Corpus said that the Isafp, acting on intelligence reports, was able to confirm that Miraflor and other former PAOCTF officials such as Lacson's deputy Chief Supt. Francisco Zubia Jr. met on Dec. 19 at the Aberdeen Court in Makati City to "plan and launch destabilization efforts against the government using the C4 and TNT explosive devices."

Lacson was supposed to attend and host that meeting but the opposition senator failed to show up, Corpus said.

"The mere mention of possession of C4 and TNT explosives during the Dec. 19 meeting prompted Isafp intelligence teams to conduct random inspections on Dec. 21 and 26 at the barracks of former SRU officers identified with Lacson," Corpus said. "The timing was quite obvious. It was the anniversary of the Dec. 30 bombings."

The blocks of explosives were found in the locker of Sotto, Miraflor's former SRU explosives unit expert who was educated and trained in the United States, he said.

The explosives should have been kept in an "igloo," designed to contain the impact and damage due to an accidental explosion. Putting the explosives in lockers inside a military barracks was placing the lives of soldiers at risk, Corpus said.

Motive

"What was his motive? Miraflor clearly intended to keep the explosives and timing devices for his personal gain using Sotto to achieve his purpose," Corpus said. "And he even acquired more explosives."

Intelligence documents showed that recovered from the locker of Sotto on Dec. 21 were 15 pieces of C4 blocks weighing 1.25 lbs. (1 kilo) each. Also found in the locker were 12 blocks of TNT explosives, a detonation cord measuring 15 feet (5 meters), two pieces of 40mm cartridges, three boxes of non-electric blasting caps, two pieces of one-fourth pound TNT, 57 pieces electric blasting caps and seven boxes of igniter blasting fuses.

Sotto said that the explosives found in his lockers came from Miraflor.

On Dec. 26, Sotto led the Isafp teams to the rest of the explosives that were hidden, allegedly upon the orders of Miraflor, at the Navy SEAL's diving locker.

Recovered were 40 blocks of C4, a field bag containing three blocks of one-pound TNT, a 21-meter waterproof time fuse, a 3-meter waterproof time fuse, offensive and rifle grenades, among others.

Sotto also turned over the rest of the C4 explosives, making the total recovery to 100.5 blocks.

Following Sotto's confession, the Naval Intelligence Security Force invited Miraflor for questioning on Dec. 28. Miraflor showed up and was detained forthwith.

In a separate affidavit, Miraflor admitted that he had indeed given the explosives to Sotto and ordered him to keep the explosives. However, he said, he also ordered that these be turned over to Sarmiento.

Miraflor also denied having instigated a plot to overthrow the government. He said the Dec. 19 activity was not a meeting but a Christmas party "purely among friends and their respective families."

Corpus said Miraflor had yet to account for the missing C4 and TNT explosives. Miraflor would also be asked to explain how and where he was able to get the 40 of the 100.5 blocks of C4 without officially procuring them from the Navy's armory. With reports from Martin P. Marfil and Juliet Labog Javellana