|
A |
tong
Ang called Erap “Tatang” (Father),
whenever Erap was not within hearing distance. Atong was like a spoiled brat,
said Chavit.
Once,
while arguing with Erap, Atong just turned his back and left. “Tingnan mo ang gagong ‘to,” Chavit
quoted Erap’s comment on the walkout.
Atong
and Erap were entangled in a relationship not unlike that of lovers—they
quarreled, reconciled, and quarreled again. They were bound by a common
interest but wary of distrust between each other. That interest was
gambling—and the money they made from it.
Erap
was the link that brought Atong to Chavit, and vice versa. One could assume
that Erap would have wished his friends to be in the best of terms—the better
for everyone to work towards achieving their objective. But where Chavit and
Atong were concerned, there was more dislike than goodwill for each other.
The
first public clash between Chavit and Atong happened in mid-1999 at Clark where
Erap allegedly went after the take-over of Mimosa, then tried to set up
FountainBleau/ FontainBleu, through his midnight friends, including Chavit and
Atong. The two had competing stakes in setting up a casino at Clark.
At
this time the signs of distrust between Erap and Chavit were also emerging.
A
portion of the Sandiganbayan decision discussed about what happened in
August of 1999: “FPres. Estrada called Gov. Singson, Ricaforte and Serapio to a
meeting at Mandaluyong. Gov. Singson was instructed by FPres. Estrada in
the presence of Ricaforte and Serapio to turn-over all the balance of the money
from jueteng to the account of Ricaforte. Gov. Singson was keeping
most of the above-mentioned P123,000,000.00 in the bank and the others in cash
in his office because FPres. Estrada would ask for money from time to
time. Gov. Singson turned-over the balance of the jueteng money
partly in check and partly in cash in the office of FPres. Estrada.
Ricaforte and Serapio were there with the Former President.”
Then
Atong and Chavit clashed again sometime in September 2000 over the Bingo 2
Balls. Erap has maintained that the Pagcor-regulated Bingo 2 Ball was
introduced to eradicate jueteng and
generate more revenues for the government. Chavit said Bingo 2 Balls would
generate more revenues for the private pocket of Erap. Ping, speaking as
Senator, charged that Erap devised a way to legalize jueteng through Bingo 2 Balls because the anti-jueteng campaign he waged as PNP Chief (November 1999 to January
2001), against Erap’s will, was hurting the illegal numbers game.
Ang
was supposed to manage Bingo 2 Balls for Pagcor and get paid with an amount
equivalent to 23 percent total gross sales, according to the Gloria report
mentioned earlier. During Bingo 2 Balls’ 12-day dry run in September 2000,
Pagcor reportedly generated 43 million pesos in revenues. This meant Atong
earned 9.89 million pesos from 20 days of operation.[1]
Pagcor
did not find it hard to award the Bingo 2 Balls management contract to Atong
because Pagcor believed that he has already proven his reliability as jai-alai operator, for which he earned
half a million pesos every day, again according to reports.
And
Atong raked it in because Erap was part of all the action. “Yung jai alai, kay presidente din yon
(Jai-alai belongs to the President),” the Gloria report quoted Chavit as having
said in an interview. “Hindi naman
mabubuksan yon kung wala siya doon eh (It would never have been reopened
without his backing).”
Serious
cracks in Erap-Atong-Chavit triumvirate manifested themselves sometime in July
2000. Testifying at the Erap plunder trial, Congressman Luis “Baby” Asistio
said that Chavit confided to him his (Chavit) problems with Erap. The latter,
according to Baby, was avoiding Chavit at a time when Chavit needed help with
the government auditors who, by that time, had been persistent in demanding the
liquidation of the 130 million pesos that he advanced as Erap’s cut from the
tobacco excise tax released earlier as share of the province of Ilocos Sur.
Baby
also said that Erap did not want to help Chavit because “[Erap] might get into
trouble as the Chairman of the COA (Commission on Audit) is a constitutional
appointee and suggested that Gov. Singson instead talk to then Executive
Sectary Ronaldo Zamora to resolve his problem.”
Baby
did not say it was alright for the president to tolerate irregularities for as
long as Erap was out of the picture, although Erap’s words as Baby cited them
would suggest such a speculation.
Although
the full amount of 130 million pesos was meant for Erap, Chavit said Atong did
not deliver to Erap the full amount. When Chavit asked Erap how much Atong gave
him, Erap said 70 million. When Chavit asked Atong about the remaining 60
million, Atong said he gave Loi 20 and Jinggoy 15. Atong could not account for
the remaining 25 million.
(Jinggoy
and Atong were the ones who followed up with the DBM after Erap endorsed the
request for release of RA 7171, Chavit said.)
At
the Sandiganbayan where Atong was
charged as Erap’s accomplice, he later on pleaded guilty to a lesser offense,
and paid the government 25 million pesos as part of the bargain.
That
Erap felt pre-empted in the way the loot was distributed among his family
members could have ignited the playful mien in him. What better way to get even
than leaving Chavit to fend for himself in a future tussle with the auditors?
As
collector of jueteng protection money
intended for Erap, Chavit said that sometime in January 1999, Erap knew that 1
million pesos was being given to Jinggoy, and Erap did not like it. “I will be
the one giving Jinggoy his share,” Chavit reportedly quoted Erap as saying.
Chavit
and Jinggoy tricked Erap by putting Jinggoy in charge of collecting jueteng protection money for the whole
province of Bulacan, thus allowing Jinggoy to remit to Chavit his collections
net of his share, Sandiganbayan
records showed.
Ping
Lacson exposed the Erap versus Jinggoy sub-plot in that 2009 Senate speech
mentioned earlier. That part of the speech reads:
“Before
I tackle the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, please allow me to tell you some
short stories about a son, a brother and an elected senator of the Republic.
“The
following are excerpts from a telephone conversation that transpired between
two male persons, both in the United States at that time, one in Los Angeles,
California, the other, in Las Vegas, Nevada. One of the persons on the line was
about to be extradited to testify in a plunder case then pending trial at the
Sandiganbayan involving a long-time friend and former president of his country.
“The
original charge sheet included the father, the mother and a son. Hence:
“(Conversation
between two male persons on or about summertime of 2006 in America)
“Voice
Nr 1 [Jinggoy]: Pare, ano ba plano mo
pag-uwi mo (Buddy, what are your plans when you get back home)?
“Voice
Nr 2 [Atong Ang]: Pare, 'di ko alam eh
(Buddy, I don’t know).
“Voice
Nr 1: Pare, kung uuwi ka... kung ano man
ang plano mo, huwag mo na kaming idamay ni mommy; si daddy na lang.... kaya
niya namang i-depensa ang sarili niya... May ambisyon pa ako. Magpre-presidente
pa ako... ako ang bahala sa 'yo (Buddy, if you’re going home… whatever your
plans are, spill the the beans on daddy but spare me and my mommy ... he can
very well defend himself… I still have ambitions in life. I will become
President one day … I’ll look after you).
“Voice
Nr 2: Bahala na. Di ko alam pag-uwi ko
(Whichever. I don’t know what will happen when I go home) ....”
“Of
course, we now know that the father was convicted, while the mother and son
were acquitted.
“The
man in Las Vegas could not believe what the man in Los Angeles told him. But
the fact that the source of this phone conversation is not only reliable but
unimpeachable, I myself could not believe this story.
“The
next story is about two brothers, both presidential sons at that time, and a
jueteng operator in Baguio City. The elder brother, after being informed that a
younger brother was receiving a monthly jueteng
payola of P1M, called the attention of the jueteng operator and told
him, thus:
“‘Yung P1M na ibinibigay mo sa kapatid ko,
hatiin mo... sa akin mo ibigay ang kalahati... Baka gamitin lang pambili ng
drugs yung pera (That 1M pesos that you are giving to my brother, split it…
give one half to me … the money might just end up being used to buy drugs).’
“Aside
from that additional P500,000 sequestered from the younger brother, the elder
brother had a regular monthly payola of P800,000 from another jueteng operator
from Bulacan, P1M from Chavit Singson and unspecified amount from yet another
gambling lord from Pampanga.
“The
third story involves an incumbent Cabinet secretary and an elected senator of
the Republic. Hence:
“Sec, natalo ako ng P10M. Bigyan mo ako ng
project bukas (Secretary, I just lost 10 million pesos. Give me a project
tomorrow).”
Jinggoy
likewise stood up to deliver a speech, saying Ping was hitting the Estradas
because Ping was being implicated in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.
But
what really broke the ties between Atong and Erap on the one hand, and Chavit
on the other, was how Atong had proceeded to operate Bingo 2 Balls in Ilocos
Sur. Atong skipped Chavit and struck deals with the Governor’s political
opponents.
Chavit
flared up. He was being shamed before his political supporters, particularly
among the mayors of Ilocos Sur. He and Erap and Atong often met together when
Bingo 2 Balls was being hatched, so he knew Erap was behind Atong’s
transgression and its manifest intent to clip his political wings, as it were.
On
September 7, 2000, after having informed Chavit that Erap wanted to “rush the
start of ‘Bingo 2 Balls,’ Atong informed the Singsons that “the other half of
the franchise was given to” another Singson, Eric, who was Chavit’s political
opponent.
Another
portion of the Sandiganbayan decision reads:
“According
to the son of Gov. Singson, Atong Ang told him that he had the provincial
commander transferred and the Chief of Police replaced. His father
could not do anything to stop “Bingo 2 Balls” as it was decided by FPres.
Estrada and his political career were finished. Gov. Singson talked with
Atong Ang when he was in Malaysia and told him that they should wait
for FPres. Estrada to return. FPres. Estrada returned from
the United States on September 13, 2000. Gov. Singson also
arrived from Malaysia the following day. The following day, Gov.
Singson asked FPres. Estrada over the phone because the franchise was given to
his political enemy. Gov. Singson told him that all the mayors will be
embarrassed. FPres. Estrada replied that he had nothing to do with
it. Gov. Singson thought that FPres. Estrada was fooling him. He
told FPres. Estrada that it was a matter of pride, that all his mayors were
getting embarrassed. FPres. Estrada replied that he did not care, so Gov.
Singson told him ‘Kung dahil lang dyan pagkatapos ng lahat bibitawan mo ako,
bibitaw na rin ako sa iyo (If only for that—after everything that we have
gone through—you will drop me, then I will drop you also).’
“Gov.
Singson then asked his lawyers to prepare his affidavit because he knew that
his life would be in danger if he would part ways with FPres. Estrada, who was
very powerful, and Gov. Singson had no evidence. Gov. Singson then called
Ricaforte and asked her to fax to him the ledger. Ricaforte asked if they
were going to Malacañang. Gov. Singson knew that Ricaforte did not know
yet what was happening. After she faxed the ledger from her house to Gov.
Singson, the latter asked his lawyer to continue with the preparation of his
affidavit. Gov. Singson said he prepared the affidavit so that if
anything happened to him it would be known who was responsible. When
asked if he was threatened, Gov. Singson replied that he knew FPres. Estrada
and the men around him so he knew that his life was in danger.
“The
first set of ledgers was faxed to Singson, while the second set was in the
possession of Ricaforte which she produced during the impeachment
proceedings. The prosecution would have the latter subpoenaed from the
Senate. Everyone that Gov. Singson consulted gave the same comment.
Nobody will believe Gov. Singson because FPres. Estrada was the most popular
President elected. Gov. Singson talked with Jinggoy Estrada. Gov.
Singson told Jinggoy Estrada that his family got One Hundred Thirty Million
Pesos (P130,000,000.00) from him and that Jinggoy Estrada got part of the said
money. Gov. Singson also told Jinggoy Estrada that jueteng money
all went to his father and that Jinggoy Estrada also had a part of it.
Jinggoy Estrada told Gov. Singson, they would fix it.
“Nothing
happened so Gov. Singson talked with JV Ejercito, another son of FPres.
Estrada. JV Ejercito asked Gov. Singson not to come out and that he will
talk with his father. Again, nothing happened so Gov. Singson approached
Secretary Ronnie Zamora and showed him the ledger. The latter reacted
that the ledger was a serious matter, ‘Delikado ito (This is
dangerous).’ Zamora asked Gov. Singson not to come out and he told Gov. Singson
that he would see FPres. Estrada. Gov. Singson then went to see Former
Secretary Edgardo Angara at the latter’s GMA Farm in Batangas and showed to him
the ledger. Secretary Angara asked Gov. Singson not to come out publicly
because the ledger was a serious matter and even they, the cabinet members may
be affected. After that first meeting in Batangas, Chavit Singon saw
Secretary Angara at the Philippine Plaza and he later told Gov. Singson that it
was alright as he was able to talk to FPres. Estrada. Secretary Angara,
according to Gov. Singson, told FPres. Estrada that Gov. Singson was a big help
to them in politics and that he was just asking for a small favor.
Secretary Angara also asked FPres. Estrada not to embarrass Gov. Singson’s
mayors. This matter might be known by the media. Secretary Angara
informed Gov. Singson that FPres. Estrada got mad and replied ‘Sinong
tinakot nya (Who is he trying to scare)?’ Before Secretary Angara
left, he told FPres. Estrada that he saw Gov. Singson’s jueteng ledger
and he found it a ground for impeachment. FPres. Estrada appeared
surprised (‘Nagulat’) but did not say anything. Secretary Angara
assured FPres. Estrada, he will first talk with Gov. Singson and fix it.
For the third time, Gov. Singson saw Secretary Angara at New World
Hotel. He asked Gov. Singson to give him until the end of September 2000
because the FPres. was a ‘macho’ and would not easily give in. However,
Gov. Singson replied that he was already decided because his mayors kept on
calling him. Incidentally according to Gov. Singson, these political enemies
were operating the ‘Bingo 2 Balls.’
“After
Secretary Angara, Gov. Singson also approached Congressman Mark Jimenez, who
said after he met with FPres. Estrada, General Lacson and Secretary Ronnie
Zamora that ‘Bingo 2 Balls’ will not stop in Ilocos Sur, but that Gov. Singson
should lie low first. Gov. Singson replied that he had decided already to
come out and he informed his mayors that he will expose the anomalies involving
FPres. Estrada. Gov. Singson talked with Jimenez over the phone when he
was then at Holiday Inn on October 3, 2000. There was a conference of the
Mayors League in the Philippines. Gov. Singson left Holiday Inn together
with twenty-two mayors. According to Gov. Singson, armed men followed him
at about 11:30 that evening at San Marcelino Street [in Manila--IA]and
that his vehicle was blocked by three cars and one motorcycle, all passengers
by which were fully armed by armalite. Two of the cars were TMG cars and
the other, a civilian red car. Gov. Singson told the mayor with whom he
was talking over the phone that they should all go to San Marcelino, behind
Jai-Alai because of an emergency. His driver was instructed by Gov.
Singson not to open the door of his vehicle.
“PAOC
men signaled Gov. Singson to get out of his vehicle, a bullet-proof Ford Super
Van but he refused. He went out of the van after the mayors arrived one
after another. The PAOC team told Gov. Singson that they received
information that he had a blinker that, although he did not use it, mere
possession was already a violation and that they wanted to bring this to Crame
and after he suggested that he be given a ticket of the volation but he instead
asked that they go to the police precincts at the United Nations
Avenue. Only the two TMG Officers went to the police precinct with Gov.
Singson who rode in his own van. There were media people at the police
precinct. When asked why he was being harassed although he was
influencial to the FPres. Estrada, Gov. Singson replied to the media that he
will expose the anomalies of FPres. Estrada.
“The
following day the incident was published in the newspapers and shown on
television. The group of FPres. Esrada tried to settle with
Singson. JV Ejercito was the first to call repeatedly (every two minutes)
to ask Gov. Singson to return the call of FPres. Estrada, Gov. Singson called
the latter who asked that they talk because he was confused with the problems
of the Abu Sayyaf and the First Lady. Gov. Singson replied he had already
given his word.”
Chavit has
crossed his Rubicon.
The
Sandiganbayan decision goes on:
“They
talked for the second time and then third time, it was FPres. Estrada himself
who called. The next person to call was Atong Ang who was pleading to Gov.
Singson to fix the matter. Gov. Singson brought up the P130 Million from
the excise tax which Gov. Singson said was taken by Atong Ang and FPres.
Estrada. Atong Ang promised that the said amount will be returned to Gov.
Singson and that the ‘Bingo 2 Balls’ will be given to Gov. Singson. Gov.
Singson informed him that it was too late.”
As
far as Chavit was concerned, the die was cast, to borrow the words of Julius
Ceasar.
More
from Sandiganbayan:
“Atong
Ang called Gov. Singson about twenty (20) times.
“After
Atong Ang, Former Secretary Alfredo Lim called to convince Gov. Singson to
settle and to see FPres. Estrada. Alfredo Lim asked Gov. Singson to
proceed with the press conference but he should put the blame on Atong Ang and
that they will take care of Atong Ang. Alfredo Lim gestured with his
right fist thumb down. Gov. Singson understood this to mean that Atong
Ang will be killed.[2] Gov.
Singson did not agree because he might be implicated. He asked them to
look for a good reason.
“The
next to call Gov. Singson was Jinggoy Estrada. The latter and Gov.
Singson talked on October 8, 2000. Jinggoy Estrada also sent many
emissaries to talk with Gov. Singson. That evening Gov. Singson went to
Cardinal Sin at his San Miguel Residence. Gov. Singson explained to
Cardinal Sin the situation and left to him the evidence so that in case
anything happens to Gov. Singson, he would know who will be responsible.
Gov. Singson saw the Cardinal with his sisters. Cardinal Sin told Gov.
Singson to go ahead that he will pray for Gov. Singson and that God will be
with them.
“Gov.
Singson returned to his house at 10:00 o’clock in the evening where Jinggoy
Estrada called him and sent emissaries again to Gov. Singson. At 12:00
midnight Jinggoy Estrada and some friends of his arrived at Gov. Singson’s
house in Blue Ridge, Quezon City.[3]
Jinggoy Estrada pleaded to Gov. Singson until 3:00 o’clock the following
morning. Gov. Singson told Jinggoy Estrada that it was too late because
his press conference will happen in a while and all that the Estradas could do
was to deny what Gov. Singson will reveal at the press conference. He
further said to Jinggoy Estrada that he will not mention the latter’s name.
“Gov.
Singson proceeded with his press conference on October 9, 2000 at Club
Filipino. He gave the two reasons: first, FPres. Estrada insulted him and
wanted him killed so he was not a true friend anymore; and second, he already
had the evidence, and they will kill him even if he did not pursue his planned
press conference. It was better for him to be killed with honor and to
show how corrupt the government was under the Estrada
Administration. According to Gov. Singson, FPres. Estrada wanted to
replace jueteng with ‘Bingo-2-Balls’ because he will earn more, about
Fifty Million Pesos (P50,000,000.00) a day. Gov. Singson explained how
much FPres. Estrada would receive from ‘Bingo 2 Balls.’”
Alfredo
“Fred” Lim said Chavit told him “that Atong Ang and Ping Lacson were the
persons responsible for the attempted ambush on his life, and that both
conspired to have him killed because Gov. Singson was against the Bingo 2 Balls
gaming proposal of Atong Ang and that there was an arrangement for the raising
of campaign funds for the presidential candidacy of Ping Lacson.”
Fred,
Sandiganbayan records say, “further related that Gov. Singson also
implicated FPres. Estrada on the alleged attempted ambush on his life on the
theory that Atong Ang and Ping Lacson will not have the courage to have him
killed without the approval of FPres. Estrada.”
[1] Alice Reyes, Chair of Pagcor at the time,
testified at Erap’s plunder trial that Pagcor generated 23 million pesos for 12
days in September 2000. Atong’s share from the revenues constituted 8 percent,
later reduced to 7, then 5, and finally to 2 percent in November 2000, during
which time the House of Representatives had Erap impeached.
[2] Fred Lim disputed this. He explained,
when he took the witness stand as defense witness at the Sandiganbayan Erap
plunder case trial that what he meant was that FPres. Estrada would have Atong
Ang ordered investigated and not to have the latter killed.
[3] At the witness stand, Jinggoy denied
having visited Chavit on October 8-9, 2000. He said he was at the Sydney
Olympics during that time. The Sydney Olympics started on September 15, 2000,
and ended on October 1, 2000.
No comments:
Post a Comment