THE suspected emissary of the Ampatuan clan tasked at bribing a key witness of the Maguindanao massacre case surfaced after receiving a subpoena from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Accompanied by his lawyer, retired Air Force officer Antonio Mariano met members of the media in an unnamed restaurant in Manila, saying he decided to come out after being alluded to as "Juanito Mariano".
Claiming to be a former official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Mariano denied allegations that he was the emissary although he admitted being a godfather of Zaldy Ampatuan.
"Wala po akong nalalaman sa bribery-bribery na yan. Hindi ko nga alam kung saan galing ang statement na yan ni (Ricardo) Diaz. Hindi ko alam kung bakit niya dinadawit ang pangalan ko samantalang hindi ko naman siya kilala," he said.
He however admitted that he has close association with Zaldy, being the NBI regional director for intelligence and consultant for Mindanao affairs during the term of former NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco.
In 2003, Mariano was tapped to hold three positions in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during Zaldy's term.
He said he was an executive director for housing, a former DOTC undersecretary, and a deputy regional governor of labor.
But he tendered courtesy resignation last January.
Mariano also did not deny that he is a friend of former NBI Director Nestor Mantaring, whom he visits once in a while.
He said he could not think of any reason f Diaz in implicating him in the bribery scandal when he has always been a frequent visitor at the NBI even though he has long retired from the bureau.
Mariano's lawyer Galileo Angeles said that his client is willing to cooperate with the investigation ordered by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to clear his name on the allegations.
"He just wants to clear his name and he is not in hiding, contrary to reports. My client is willing to submit himself to the DOJ probe at the appropriate time and forum. We will answer the allegations point by point," Angeles said.
In his complaint affidavit, Diaz claimed Mariano, accompanied by two of Mantaring's close aides, visited him in his office last June 10 asking access to Kenny Dalandag to offer him a bribe to recant his testimony, implicating Zaldy on the multiple murder charges. (JCV/Sunnex)