Monday, March 05, 2007 Coup plotter's house robbed
UNIDENTIFIED armed men on Saturday broke into the residence of an officer implicated in last year's failed power grab inside the military's general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, carting away pieces of jewelry and cell phones.
Marife Aquino told military and police investigators that the intruders could have entered their residence between 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday while she and her children went out of the military camp.
She said the intruders took a cell phone and pieces of jewelry, including the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1991 bullring of her husband, former Scout Ranger operations officer Major Jason Aquino.
Mrs. Aquino said the intruders could have gained entry at the backdoor of the house using a card. "There was no forcible entry, they could have used a card to unlock the door at the back," she said.
She said police investigators had tried inserting a hard card at the door and were able to unlock the door. The policemen are conducting feather-dusting to get samples of the robbers' fingerprints.
Major Aquino is among the 28 Army and Marine officers -- led by former Scout Ranger commander Danilo Lim and former Marine commandant Renato Miranda -- facing court martial in connection with the failed plan to overthrow the Arroyo government on Feb. 24, 2006.
Lim and Miranda reportedly planned to lead their men to a march to the Edsa Shrine, join the anti-government demonstrations, and subsequently withdraw their support from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose legitimacy they were questioning.
Mrs. Aquino believed the intrusions could have been ordered by the military hierarchy who she said is still trying to gather evidence that would directly link her husband to the planned power grab.
"Definitely that (fishing for evidence) is their purpose. Up to now, they have no evidence. A court martial hearing is set next week (March 16) but they still have no evidence," Mrs. Aquino said of the military.
Major Aquino was relieved as operations officer of the elite First Scout Ranger Regiment in July 2005 on suspicion that he was distributing "The New Order," a pamphlet seeking change in government, to fellow officers.
He was declared Awol (absent without official leave) on February 23 last year and was detained four days later when he reported back to his superior officers at Camp Aguinaldo for the charge and for his alleged role in the power grab.
Last February 3, burglars also entered the Aquino residence and carted away the officer's service rifle, a laptop computer, jewelry, among others while Mrs. Aquino and her daughters also out.
Camp Aguinaldo commander Alfredo Cayton, however, said robbers were the intrusion at the Aquino residence. He said they already have a suspect in the robbery but could not pick up due to lack of evidence.
Asked how the robbers were able to rob the residence in broad daylight for the second time, Cayton said: "We have a continuing patrol in the area but we cannot guard it (residence) every hour," he said.
He said robbers victimizing a village for soldiers and civilian employees could have already crossed the officers' quarters area. "The residence is near the (soldiers) village, where four (robbery) cases happened last year," he said. (VR/Sunnex)
