‘Tug-of-war’ looms at airport over Bolante custody

MANILA, Philippines - A looming armed “tug-of-war" may steal the thunder from the arrival of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc" Bolante at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) before midnight Tuesday. Law professor Harry Roque Jr. said Saturday this scenario will likely erupt between the National Bureau of Investigation and the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA). "Baka mag-agawan ang NBI at OSAA sa airport sa pagkuha kay Bolante (There may be a tug-of-war between the NBI and OSAA for custody of Bolante at the airport)," Roque said in an interview on dzRH radio. On the other hand, a "third force" involving so-called civil society may be on hand to wait for Bolante, he said. Roque said he is now meeting with civil society groups to determine how to "welcome" Bolante, pointing out that they were barred entry from the airport when they tried to "welcome" ZTE witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. last February. On Friday, Roque cited information reaching him, indicating Bolante is due to take a Northwest Airlines flight on Sunday and expected in Manila at 11 p.m. Tuesday. Roque noted the Senate agriculture committee in the 13th Congress had ordered Bolante arrested for snubbing its investigation into a P728-million fertilizer fund scam. But he also noted that Justice secretary Raul Gonzalez ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to take Bolante in for "debriefing." "Mas safe si Bolante sa OSAA. Sa Senado patetestiguhin lang siya (Bolante would be safer with the Senate sergeant-at-arms, because he'll be detained only so he will testify)," Roque said. - GMANews.TV