ISAFP chief decries allegations his men are involved in Burgos abduction

By Ronron
July 10, 2007

The chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) is hurt about allegations his men are involved in the abduction of Jonas Joseph Burgos last April 28 in Quezon City.

In a phone interview yesterday (Tuesday) with Defense reporters, Maj. Gen. Delfin Bangit, Jr. categorically denied the allegation that was further bolstered on Monday by the recommendation of Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco for the National Bureau of Investigation to summon six military personnel for possible involvement in the abduction case.

“I have already said this to Mrs. Burgos, and this will still be my statement now. I can still look into her eyes, saying ISAFP has nothing to do with the disappearance of Burgos,” Bangit said.

Bangit said the publication of the allegation in different news outlets “is very damaging to the institution” especially that it does not bear any hint of truth.

He lamented that the claim of Velasco’s informant, who provided six names of members of the military as suspects, is drastically leading the investigation away from the truth.

Bangit said he checked the names provided by Velasco’s information – Army T/Sgt. Jason Roxas; Air Force Cpl. Maria Joana Francisco, reportedly assigned with the Military Intelligence Group (MIG) 15 of ISAFP; Air Force M/Sgt. Aron Arroyo, also assigned with MIG 15; an alias T.L., also of MIG 15; Army 1st Lt. Jaime Mendaros, assigned with the 56th Infantry Battalion; and, Lt. Col. Noel Clement also of the 56th IB but presently assigned at the Escort and Security Battalion (PA) in Fort Bonifacio – but were found to be non-existent in their list of personnel.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. said that out of the three Army personnel mentioned, only Mendaros and Clement are confirmed to be in their rolls. He said they are prepared to submit the two the Department of Justice investigation.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Epifanio Panzo, Jr., for his part, denied the existence of the two named Air Force personnel.

“The only way to check (the truth) is for the witness to really come out and tell us about this,” Bangit said, apparently challenging Velasco’s informant.

Bangit said that aside from publicly clearing the organization from what is being hurled against it, he can only order a further information-gathering by his men relative to the Burgos abduction case to prove their innocence.

“With conviction and will all honesty, ISAFP is not in any way connected in this disappearance,” Bangit insisted.

Burgos was abducted from a mall along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City reportedly due to his links with the communist movement.

But his family maintained the victim was just providing agriculture technology training on members of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas in Central Luzon.

Burgos is a son of the late Philippine press freedom icon, Jose Burgos./DMS