Michael Ray spends 1st night back in Manila under tight watch

Following his return to the Philippines early Sunday morning, former police Senior Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino spent his first night in detention under tight security. Aquino, who faces charges in connection with the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, was placed under tight guard by the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila, even as the NBI said Aquino remains in good health. "Okay naman siya kahapon nang iniwan ko. Ibabalik muna namin ang arrest warrant, antayin natin ang commitment order ng judge (He was okay when I left him Sunday night. For today we will return the arrest warrant to the Manila court and wait for its commitment order)," NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula said in an interview on dzBB radio after the Monday morning flag ceremony. He reiterated there was no special treatment for Aquino. "Nakita mo kahapon ang procedure (You saw the procedure)," he said. Gatdula and Aquino are former colleagues at the defunct Presidential Ant-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) then headed by Senator Panfilo Lacson. Lacson concurrently headed the PAOCTF and the Philippine National Police from Nov. 1999 to Jan. 2001.

Aquino presently shares a cell with at least 21 other detainees at the NBI headquarters in Manila. The NBI deployed additional personnel to keep watch over the cell where Aquino was detained, according to a report on dwIZ radio early Monday. The NBI also readied tight security for Monday, where it is to return the arrest warrant for Aquino to the Manila regional trial court. "Inaantay natin once ibalik ang arrest warrant. Aantay natin ang instruction ng judge kung saan siya dadalhin (We will wait for the judge to decide where to detain Aquino, after we return the arrest warrant)," Gatdula said in an interview on dzRH radio. Aquino was extradited to the Philippines Sunday. He was whisked to the NBI headquarters in Manila under tight security almost immediately upon his arrival. Joking mood Gatdula said Aquino was in a joking mood Sunday, even ribbing him about his belly. "Kinamusta ko siya, sabi ko namayat ka, sabi niya ikaw lumalaki ang tiyan. Pero may abs siya, nag-e-exercise pala siya palagi doon (I told him he lost weight. He told me my belly was getting big. But he had abs, he was exercising while he was jailed in the United States)," he said. Gatdula also said Aquino had many visitors Sunday, including his lawyers and his mother. But he said they allowed Aquino to entertain visitors to about 7 p.m., to help him "acclimatize" to Philippine time. "Iba ang oras doon, iba rito so pinapayag natin siya mag-acclimatize (He came from a different time zone, this may help him acclimatize)," he said. — RSJ, GMA News