NBI: Marlene in contact with Ivler during shootout

Murder suspect Jason Ivler may have been getting information from his mother on the movements of the arresting team during the shootout in their Quezon City residence last week, a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) official said on Monday. Ross Bautista, executive officer of the NBI's Office Intelligence Services, said they have in their possession the gadget Marlene Aguilar allegedly used in communicating with Ivler, who at that time was holed up in the basement of their house in Blue Ridge Subdivision, during the encounter. “The operatives found a gadget. During the January 18 operation, we noticed that she [Aguilar] wore an earpiece and seemed that she was talking with someone," Bautista said. The gadget Aguilar allegedly used was found during the inventory of evidence by the NBI, according to Bautista.

“We strongly believe that our movements [were] being relayed to Ivler with the use of the gadget composed of a cellphone, an earpiece, and other gadget parts," he said. Bautista said Ivler and Aguilar may be slapped with additional charges of frustrated murder, attempted murder, and direct assault with illegal possession of firearms for the shootout where two NBI agents were hurt. Ivler, too, was hurt in the exchange of fire. Conspiracy theory “In conspiracy theory, the act of one is the act of all. If Aguilar indeed knew the plan of Ivler to assault us, then she will be charged with direct participation. So whatever additional charges we are going to file against Ivler, we will also file the same against Aguilar. She will be charged as a principal," he said. Aguilar, sister of folk singer Freddie Aguilar, has been slapped with obstruction of justice for coddling Ivler and is currently out on bail. She has repeatedly insisted that her son was a victim of frame up. Ivler, 28, stands accused of killing Renato Ebarle Jr., son of Presidential Chief of Staff Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr., over a supposed traffic altercation along Boni Serrano Avenue in Quezon City last November 18. He is currently confined at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center. The NBI has repeatedly denied Aguilar’s claim that Ivler was framed up. "I would treat her comment as the highest form of deception and cover-up in order to mislead the public and the authorities in the Ivler case. Her comment will further strengthen our case against her," said NBI deputy director for technical services Reynaldo Esmeralda. - KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV