Jason Ivler's mother links bodyguard to Ebarle shooting

Marlene Aguilar insisted Friday that her son Jason Ivler was innocent in the fatal shooting of a Malacañang official's son, claiming that he was set up by her own bodyguard. In an interview with newscaster Arnold Clavio on GMA's Unang Balita, Aguilar said her British bodyguard Mark Hauser may have had a hand in the killing as well as Ivler's eventual arrest for the crime.
On Thursday, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced that the slugs found in the body of Renato Ebarle Jr. when he was killed in a traffic altercation last November 18 matched those from Ivler’s firearm that were recovered from him when he was arrested last Monday. When Clavio asked Aguilar about the NBI's findings, she said, "Yun pong baril na iyon, si Jason po kasi at yung bodyguard ko na British who is also with the military in England, may access iyong bodyguard ko sa lahat ng nasa baba kasi magkatabi sila ng kwarto. May access siya sa CRV, may access siya doon sa susi, may access siya sa lahat. Ang tinatanong ko po, nasaan iyong bodyguard ko noong gabing iyon?" She was referring to the night of Ebarle's shooting. “Iyong bodyguard ko, foreigner din, kalbo din," Aguilar added, implying that her son may have been mistaken for Hauser. She said her bodyguard disappeared three weeks ago. When Clavio asked if she had informed the investigators about her suspicions regarding her bodyguard, Aguilar answered, “Hindi ko po inisip yun eh kasi he’s my bodyguard, he’s supposed to protect me, kaya lang there was a point na nagpadala siya ng pera sa bank account ko, in case na sabi niya, 'Ma’am I also look like the suspect, I’m afraid that they would come after me so I asked my family to send me $5000 to give to you in case this happens' ... “Until po nalaman ko na siya yung informant, hindi po ako nag-isip ng masama sa bodyguard ko." Pressed by Clavio further if she believed that Hauser tipped off the NBI about Ivler's whereabouts that led to the latter's arrest last Monday, Aguilar said: "Yes, yes, I think my bodyguard helped set me up." 'Best actress' Presidential Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr., father of the younger Ebarle, expressed doubts about Aguilar's statements. "Pati akong nakikinig na may alam nang konti sa kaso, nalalabuan sa sinasabi ni Aguilar. Grabe, grabe talaga. Parang nagiging sitcom na tuloy. Naging palabas na drama ito. I’m sure na best actress [siya]," the elder Ebarle said. (Even for someone like me who knows something about the case, Aguilar's statements make little sense. It has become a sitcom, a drama, and she's the best actress.) In the same interview, Aguilar addressed her critics, as well as Ebarle Jr.’s mother. "Karapatan po ng mga ina na kasuklaman ako o mahalin ako dahil sa pagmamahal ko sa anak ko," (Mothers have the right to love me or hate me for loving my son) she said. "I have peace in my heart. I hope Renato Ebarle’s mother finds peace in her heart." Ivler was arrested after a shootout in the basement of Aguilar's home on Monday morning and is currently confined at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center. - Nikka Corsino/TJD/YA, GMANews.TV