AFP, PNP launch manhunt vs Capt. Faeldon; lawyer worried

Philippine security forces have launched a manhunt for Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, one of the hardcore leaders of the Magdalo who remains unaccounted for since Thursday's six-hour standoff at the Manila Peninsula in Makati City. Radio dzBB reported that Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman, said Faeldon could not be found since Thursday night. Pagdilao said operatives are now following some leads but he declined to elaborate, saying this may jeopardize operations. But the counsel for Faeldon is herself worried over the whereabouts of her client. "I am worried...there is a distinct possibility that (Capt. Faeldon) is under the custody of the Armed Forces. They should tell us if he (Faeldon) is already in their custody," said lawyer Trixie Angeles. Angeles said the last time she talked with her client was during the march from the Makati City regional trial court to the Manila Peninsula. "He agreed to my recommendation that he will return to the Marine Brig in Fort Bonifacio," she said. But when she went to the Brig about 2 p.m. to check on her other clients, Angeles said there was no word on Faeldon. "The military is saying he is unaccounted for but he was supposed to return to the barracks. I am very concerned." For his part, Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr said the military will revise its way of securing soldiers in court hearings. "There will be some revisions how we secure hearings," Esperon said. Esperon added they are hoping they can re-arrest Faeldon the same way they did last year. "We are still looking for him. The manhunt is on, he has done it before, we hope we can repeat the arrest of Faeldon," Esperon said at a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo. Faeldon escaped in December 2005 and set up the Pilipino website to call for civil disobedience against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, but was recaptured in January 2006. Meanwhile, Esperon said they are also looking into the possibility that politicians may have backed Thursday's standoff. "We are looking into that. As you have seen, some civilians were brought to Bicutan for questioning. We will continue to look into this, especially on the involvement of some other civilians or politicians," he said. When asked to elaborate, he said, "Meron kaming tinitingnan pero di namin sasabihin ang pangalan (We are looking at some names but we're not divulging names)." Esperon also said they have started debriefing the escorts of Trillanes when he walked out of a Makati courtroom Thursday morning. - GMANews.TV