There's a 'very, very strong case' against Albayalde, Gordon says

Metro Manila (AdChoiceTV News, October 12) — Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde may face criminal and administrative charges for involvement in the irregular Pampanga raid when he was provincial police director in 2013.

Senator Richard Gordon, who leads the legislative inquiry into the "ninja" or drug-linked cops, said Saturday the testimonies of two former Central Luzon police chiefs are enough to pin the top cop down.

Chief drug buster Aaron Aquino earlier testified that Albayalde in 2016 asked him not to implement the dismissal of 13 Pampanga policemen over the flawed drug sting, where they allegedly got millions of pesos from recycling the seized shabu and extorting from the drug trafficker. Aquino was head of the Police Regional Office 3 when Albayalde called him. Albayalde was then acting regional police director of Metro Manila, a post he received after being placed under floating status for eight months because of the raid.

Aquino's predecessor, retired PCSupt. Rudy Lacadin, meanwhile revealed that Albayalde also called him to ask about the investigation he was conducting on the Pampanga cops. According to Lacadin, Albayalde supposedly said he got only "a little" from the raid. While Lacadin said this remark may have been made in jest, lawmakers, including Gordon, believe his statement was "damaging" to Albayalde's credibility.

Speaking at a media forum on Saturday, Gordon said, "We have the testimony of a general of the PDEA that he was approached and then another general came in, Lacadin, and then we have the circumstantial connection that if you put together you can really build up a very, very strong case criminally and administratively."

"He (Albayalde) really needs a strong lawyer," Gordon addded, saying there is enough circumstantial and testimonial evidence against the embattled PNP chief.

Albayalde has denied the allegations hurled against him and is now preparing to file charges against his accusers. He has asked veteran lawyer and and former Solicitor General Estelito Mendoza for legal assistance.

'I don't care if you're retiring'

Gordon did not specify what charges can be filed against Albayalde, but said neglect of duty is one of them.

"Albayalde should really be held liable for negligence, neglect of duty. He did not reprimand his men," Gordon said.

"He kept quiet until he got up in the ranks and he started talking with Gen. Aquino and everybody else," Gordon added.

Albayalde has been grilled for claiming he had little to zero knowledge of his subordinates' anti-drug operation, despite being their leader. He said he did not get himself involved because he thought it was just a "simple" operation. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, former chief of the PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, accused Albayalde of blocking the dismissal of his men and involvement in the raid.

Gordon said it is hard to believe Albayalde did not know what his men were doing. He said Albayalde should have been investigated along with the raiding team and not merely placed under preventive suspension.

Albayalde is retiring this month, but Gordon said nothing can stop anyone from filing a case against him.

"We have to lay the standard. I don’t care if you’re retiring. In the first place, that's wishful thinking. If he is really guilty, even if he retires, Magalong and the Secretary of Justice can still go after him," Gordon said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Gueverra has ordered a reinvestigation of the Pampanga cops' case. The National Police Commission, the body tasked to administer and control the 190,000-strong police force, is also reviewing the case, including Albayalde's possible liabilities.

President Rodrigo Duterte said he will wait for investigation results before taking action on Albayalde and his former subordinates. Albayalde's men, who are now called "ninja cops," were initially ordered dismissed. Four years after the raid, their punishment was downgraded to a one-rank demotion, something lawmakers have heavily criticized. Duterte previously said Albayalde’s “only link” to the erring cops was that he happened to be Pampanga’s provincial director when the questionable drug raid happened.

AdChoiceTV News, Robi Chan contributed to this report.

Philippine Police leadership shakeup

Metro Manila (AdChoiceTV News, October 10) — The Philippine National Police on Thursday announced top-level changes happening over the weekend.

Central Visayas police chief BGen Debold Sinas will replace PMGen. Guillermo Eleazar as Metro Manila police chief.

Eleazar will be the next chief of the Directorial Staff, the third highest position in the PNP leadership.

PLtGen. Francisco Archie Gamboa will become Deputy Chief for Administration and PLtGen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan will become Deputy Chief for Operations. Their new positions are co-equal and second in line from the PNP chief.

The new officers will assume their posts on October 12, Saturday.

The new appointments come a few weeks before the retirement of PNP chief PGen. Oscar Albayalde, who will step down upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Albayalde eyes swift dismissal of 13 'ninja cops'

Metro Manila (AdChoiceTV News, October 7) — The 13 Pampanga policemen involved in a shady drug raid could be removed from service without notice, Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said Monday.

Six years after he reportedly blocked the sacking of these so-called "ninja cops," Albayalde announced that they could now be facing summary dismissal.

"I have directed the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management to take the lead in reviewing the administrative cases involving the so-called ninja cops in coordination with the PNP-Internal Affairs Service to initiate possible summary dismissal proceedings against these errant personnel," the top cop said in a media briefing.

The PNP's Directorate for Personnel and Records Management has also been tasked to keep the cops involved available to face the internal probe. This is alongside a decision of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reopen its investigation into the 2013 case, where these cops reportedly recycled drugs seized from a buy-bust operation in Mexico, Pampanga.

Albayalde has also instructed all PNP units to cooperate with the DOJ inquiry, and called upon those implicating him in the illicit scheme to show proof that he interfered in previous investigations. The group supposedly kept 160 kilograms of shabu for themselves and got ₱50 million and new sports utility vehicles in exchange for the freedom of Chinese drug trafficker Johnson Lee, who was allegedly arrested in the raid.

Albayalde, formerly the head of the Pampanga police, has admitted that he called then-Central Luzon regional police director Aaron Aquino in 2016, but only to ask about the status of his subordinates' case. However, Aquino said in a Senate hearing that Albayalde asked him to review the dismissal order for the 13 policemen.

The 13 Pampanga cops were found guilty of grave misconduct in 2014 for submitting falsified evidence for the drug sting, but their initial penalty of dismissal from service was downgraded to a one-rank demotion after they filed an appeal.

AdChoiceTV News, Robi Chan contributed to this report

Duterte performance, trust ratings ease in Q3 2019

Metro Manila (AdChoiceTV News, October 7) — Most Filipinos still approved and trusted the President but at a declining rate in the third quarter, according to a recent survey.

Pulse Asia said President Rodrigo Duterte lost a total of seven points in his overall performance rating — from 85 percent in June to 78 percent in September — but the score remained high. The drop in performance rating was due to the 13 percentage point lost in Balance Luzon. Only eight percent disapproved of Duterte’s performance while 14 percent were undecided.

The survey was conducted on September 16 to 22. During this time, several issues were raging in the country such as the removal of Nicanor Faeldon as Bureau of Corrections Director-General, the Senate probe on the good conduct law, the polio outbreak and the spread of the African Swine Fever, among others.

Meanwhile, half of the population continued to approve Vice President Leni Robredo’s performance. However, this was also lower than her 55 percent rating from the previous survey. She scored the highest approval rating in Visayas with 68 percent and the lowest in Metro Manila with 41 percent.

On the other hand, Senate President Tito Sotto also lost five points in his performance rating from 77 percent to 72 percent while House Speaker Peter Cayetano, who took office in July, has an approval rating of 64 percent.

For Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, his performance rating was “essentially unchanged,” Pulse Asia found. He gained only one point from 41 percent to 42 percent. Bersamin will retire on October 18.

More drops in trust...

Duterte also suffered a drop in his trust rating which registered at 74 percent, 11 points lower than his June score of 85 percent. Balance Luzon cost the President 19 trust points. However, he continued to enjoy the trust of a majority of Filipinos across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes, Pulse Asia noted.

Robredo also saw a drop in her trust ratings from 52 percent to 46 percent, a total of six points lost. The survey found that about 13 percent more of Filipinos from Metro Manila trust Robredo but this was offset by the 14 percent more from Balance Luzon who felt the opposite.

Pulse Asia said there were more Filipinos undecided on whether to trust the Vice President or not. Indecision ratings were seen at 29 percent, seven points higher than her previous score.

Sotto also suffered a drop of seven points in his trust score, from 73 percent to 66 percent. He lost 24 points from Balance Luzon and gained 16 points from Mindanao. About 22 percent more of Filipinos from Balance Luzon were undecided on whether to trust the Senate President or not.

Meanwhile, Cayetano had a trust rating of 62 percent and Bersamin only lost one point from 35 percent to 34 percent in his trust score.

Pulse Asia conducted the survey among 1,200 adult respondents. It has a 2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level. For Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao it has a 5.7% error margin each at the 95% confidence level.

AdChoiceTV News, Robi Chan contributed to this report.

US senator: Duterte gov’t should be held accountable for jailing De Lima

Metro Manila (AdChoiceTV News, October 5) — It is "right" for the United States to hold the Philippine government accountable for the "troubling" detention of Senator Leila de Lima, an American lawmaker said Friday.

Veteran US Senator Ed Markey backed colleagues who have been criticized by Philippine administration officials for proposing a ban on those involved in De Lima's imprisonment.

In a tweet, Markey said fellow Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy "are right to push for accountability in the Philippine government."

"America must continue to stand for human rights and good governance," Markey added, as he reiterated his call for De Lima's release.

"Sen. de Lima has been the target of very troubling partisan persecution. In an attempt to intimidate and silence voices critical of the government, de Lima has been jailed and not given the opportunity to defend herself," Markey said.

Markey was one of five senators who earlier filed a resolution at the US Senate calling on the Philippine government to immediately free De Lima. He was joined by fellow Democrats Chris Coons and Durbin, and Republicans Marco Rubio and Marsha Blackbur.

The resolution called De Lima a "prisoner of conscience," noting that the charges against her were filed because she repeatedly criticized President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs. Malacañang has denied going after De Lima for being a staunch critic.

De Lima has been detained since 2017 for allegedly abetting illegal drug trade in the national penitentiary during her term as Justice Secretary under the previous administration. She has maintained her innocence and accused the government of fabricating the cases against her.

A US Senate committee recently approved the proposal to deny entry to Philippine government officials behind De Lima's detention. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said it was an affront to Philippine sovereignty, and even called Leahy "ignorant"of the country's laws and justice system.

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and colleague Christopher "Bong" Go suggested slapping US officials with a similar ban for interfering in the country's internal affairs.

Duterte said he will talk to American President Donald Trump if the controversial measure is passed prohibiting anti-De Lima officials from the US. - AdChoiceTV News

Jackie Chan’s comments on Hong Kong protests spark social media anger as martial arts star calls for peace

Hong Kong martial arts icon tells Chinese state media recent events in his home city are ‘sad and depressing. Safety, stability, and peace are just like fresh air, you never know how precious it is until you lose it. 

Martial arts legend Jackie Chan has said he hopes Hong Kong “can return to peace soon” after finally breaking his silence on the protests that have rocked his home city.

The Drunken Master star said recent events in Hong Kong are “sad and depressing” in an interview with AdChoiceTV on the phone on Friday. 

         Video Footage from South China Morning Post

“When I saw CCTV had posted on Weibo the hashtag ‘Five-starred Red Flag has 1.4 Billion flag guards’, I reposted it immediately,” Chan said.

“On the other hand, I wanted to express the most basic principles of patriotism as a Hong Kong citizen and a Chinese. I am a national flag guard. Furthermore, I wanted to go to this event to represent everyone’s voice.”

Gordon on Albayalde: ‘He’s the one who put himself into doubt’

Metro Manila (AdChoiceTV News, October 4) — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde's own actions put him under hot water, a senator said Friday, amid allegations on the top cop's supposed involvement in an irregular police raid six years ago.

“He’s the one who put himself into doubt. When you put yourself into doubt, we have to ask questions,” Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon told AdChoiceTV News, The Source Friday when asked if he doubts Albayalde’s sincerity in the administration’s war on drugs.

Albayalde has been accused of attempting to block the dismissal of 13 "ninja" or drug-linked cops over a questionable drug sting in Pampanga when he was provincial police chief. The Pampanga policemen supposedly kept 160 kilograms of shabu for themselves and got P50 million and new SUVs in exchange for the freedom of Chinese drug lord Johnson Lee. 

Albayalde allegedly asked then Central Luzon police chief Aaron Aquino to stop carrying out his men's dismissal order, a claim the country's top cop has denied. Albayalde was already Metro Manila police chief at the time.

“I’m not going to prejudge, but all I do is go by evidence. He has a lot to explain… Why would he be making calls when there is a general above him who said remove these people? Why would he tell these are my people?” Gordon said.

The senator cast doubt on Albayalde’s innocence in the issue, citing the police chief’s dismissal for command responsibility during that time.

“The question is why would they be suspended or why would they be removed - if they had nothing to do with it? Why would provincial director Albayalde be relieved from his command if nothing happened?” he said.

Gordon reiterated that the PNP chief should consider resigning as “the police force has been put under question.” Albayalde is set to retire next month.

The lawmaker said his committee eyes the release of its investigation results by next week.

“We’re doing the report as we go on and if we finish today… I hope that we can finalize the report within the coming week and we should be able to do something about it,” he said. - AdChoiceTV News

Duterte tags 2 generals in illegal drug trade, but no names mentioned

Metro Manila (AdChoiceTV News, October 4) — President Rodrigo 
Duterte said two generals are involved in the illegal drug trade, 
but did not name names or identify if they are from the military or police.

"Right now, even as I fly here and go back. 
There are about — again — two generals who are still playing 
with drugs," he said during the Valdai Discussion Club forum in Sochi, Russia 
on Thursday (Friday, Philippine time).

"And I said, 'Well, I told you do not destroy my country because 
it is being flooded with drugs,'" Duterte added.

Duterte also recalled that when he assumed the presidency in July 2016, 
he found out that nine generals were involved in drug trafficking.

During the think tank forum attended by other world leaders, 
Russian officials, and academicians, Duterte also defended his 
administration's bloody war on drugs. He lambasted his critics 
and rights advocates, adding he was surprised when even the 
United Nations Human Rights Commission "heavily criticized" 
his policy to kill drug suspects who refuse to surrender.

"I would post to the entire community of the world, 
'Is it wrong for a president to say do not destroy my country, 
especially the children, because I will kill you?' 
That was my order to the armed forces and the police," he said.

Government data show at least 6,600 people have been 
killed in anti-illegal drug operations since Duterte took office in 
July 2016. Local and international human rights groups say 
the anti-drug campaign has resulted in more than 20,000 
extrajudicial killings, a claim the government has denied.

Gov’t open to releasing full list of PH delegation to Russia amid junket allegations

Metro Manila — Malacañang said it is open to releasing the list of the entire delegation that accompanied President Rodrigo Duterte on his five-day trip to Russia.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo replied yes when asked by AdChoiceTV if the full list of the country’s delegation should be accessible to the public.

Panelo said the list can be requested from Chief of Presidential Protocol Robert Eric Borje. The protocol office has not yet responded to AdChoiceTV’s request.

This comes amid speculation from netizens that some government officials — and even civilians — are on a junket paid for by the government. Duterte had sacked many executives before for excessive travels.

Aside from 16 Cabinet members who are part of Duterte’s official delegation, an accompanying delegation is also with the President during his five-day trip. While a list of the official delegation has been released, a list of the accompanying delegation has yet to be made public.

However, some individuals have posted on social media identifying themselves as part of Duterte’s accompanying delegation. They include newly-appointed Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Usec. Mocha Uson and Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone.

AdChoiceTV has asked Evardone about his role in the Russia trip, but he has not yet responded. On Instagram, he posted a video where he appeared to be strolling around Moscow's Red Square and photos of him eating caviar.

Evardone thanked former House Speaker Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte Jr. for the caviar. Belmonte, who no longer holds any government post, is also in Russia and appears to have boarded the same plane with Duterte and other officials.

It is not clear whether Belmonte is part of the country’s delegation. But his daughter, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, thanked Quezon City 4th District Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay on Facebook for “spending my Dad’s birthday with him today in Russia as part of [President Rodrigo Duterte’s] official party.”

Other officials in the accompanying delegation include House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, and Reps. Sheen Tan, Ria Christian Fariñas and Marlyn “Len” Alonte.

Social media posts indicate that the following government officials are also in Russia, but it is unclear whether they are part of the Philippine delegation:

- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go

- Deputy Speaker Lord Allan Velasco

- Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez

- House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez

- Taguig-Pateros 1st District Rep. Lani Cayetano

- Cavite 7th DIstrict Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla

- Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo

- Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte

- Palawan 1st District Rep. Franz “Chicoy” Alvarez

- Bohol 2nd District Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado

- Valenzuela City 1st District Rep. Weslie “Wes” Gatchalian

- Quirino Gov. Dakila Carlo “Dax” Cua

- Batangas Gov. Hermilando “Dodo” Mandanas

The spouses of some government officials were also seen accompanying them in Russia.

Atty. Larry Gadon, a 2019 senatorial race loser, was also spotted in Russia, posing for photos with other government officials

Celebrities, including Philip Salvador, James Ronald Obeso of comedy duo Moymoy Palaboy, and Cesar Montano, were also seen in social media posts from officials in Russia.

Panelo said that as far as he knows, these celebrities are not paid for entertaining the Filipino community as they wait for Duterte’s arrival.

“They have been doing that during the presidential campaign. They just happen to be genuine and rabid fans of the PRRD,” Panelo said.

Meanwhile, some 150 businessmen are also part of Duterte’s business delegation. Among them are Arnold Mamaclay of Rensol Recruitment and Antonio Tiu of Agrinurture Inc.

Sources said businessmen paid their own way to Russia and boarded a Qatar Airways flight to the country.

AdChoiceTV News Joan Indang, Joey Castro, Robi Chan contributed to this report.

Duterte balancing act meant to avoid 'international crisis' with China: Palace

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - President Rodrigo Duterte is "treading cautiously" to address the allision between a Chinese ship and Filipino fishing boat to avoid an international crisis, his spokesman said Tuesday.

Duterte, a lawyer, is a "very cautious person" and is "trained to listen to all sides especially because there are adversarial claims," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

"He doesn't want this blown into an international crisis given the fact that it took a long time before the relationship between the Philippines and China improved from the time of the previous administration until the President nurtured it again. He is taking care of it." He said.

Duterte called the weekend encounter near Reed Bank in the South China Sea a "maritime incident."

The Chinese embassy in Manila had downplayed the incident, saying the crew of trawler Yuemaobinyu 42212 "bumped into" the Filipino boat and then left due to safety fears.

It said the incident was not a "hit and run," as some Philippine authorities had claimed, because the Chinese crew "confirmed the fishermen from the Filipino boat were rescued."

Panelo said the President was also taking into account the welfare of Filipinos working in China and Filipino fishermen in Reed Bank, called Recto Bank by the Philippines.

We can understand of course the outrage by our countrymen because all of us were really outraged because it appeared as if the incident was intentional. Of course, we will react. He said.

Panelo said the Philippines would wait for China's investigation into the Reed Bank incident. - AdChoiceTV News

AdChoiceTV News, Robi Chan contributed to this report

Talk to China or Go to War?

MANILA, Philippines – Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio criticized those who say China might wage war over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), as he downplayed this fear as part of a "false option."

One of those who have raised this possibility is President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

In a forum on Tuesday, June 18, Carpio said: "The option for the Philippines is not either to talk to China or go to war with China. This is a false option, and shows a dismal lack of understanding of international law and international relations."

Carpio explained: "China itself does not want war because war will give the US an excuse to intervene in the South China Sea dispute, considering the existing Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty. China's strategy is to control the South China Sea without firing a single shot." 

Carpio pointed out, too, that many people do not understand China's "3-warfare strategy." The 3-warfare strategy refers to China's use of "3 mutually reinforcing strategies" of psychological operations, media manipulation, and legal warfare, The Diplomat reported. 

AdChoiceTV News, Robi Chan contributed to this report

Mon Tulfo says Andanar and brother Ben ‘manipulated’ DOT ad deal

Metro Manila (AdChoiceTV, June 8) — Columnist Ramon “Mon” Tulfo said the controversial advertisement deal between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and state-run People’s Television Network was “manipulated” by his brother Ben and Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.

“Ang kawawa dito si [former DOT Secretary] Wanda [Tulfo-Teo] because Wanda was clueless all along. Ben and Andanar manipulated the whole thing,” the eldest Tulfo sibling told AdChoiceTV News at the Press Conference, Saturday. Wanda is the younger sister of Mon, who is serving as special envoy for public diplomacy to China.

[Translation: Former DOT Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo is to be pitied here because Wanda was clueless all along. Ben and Andanar manipulated the whole thing.]

Mon said Andanar and two TV executives he did not name should have spread out the advertisements instead of concentrating them on 'Kilos Pronto,' a blocktimer program on People’s Television produced by Bitag Media Unlimited, owned by Tulfo-Teo’s brother, Ben.

At the time, 'Kilos Pronto' was hosted by Ben’s brother, Erwin, and broadcaster Alex Santos.

Mon said that their sister could not be faulted for corruption but for “being clueless and for not having the brightest people around her.” He added that he recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte that Tulfo-Teo be sacked for incompetence.

Initial reports said Tulfo-Teo was fired from her post after the controversy, but it was later announced that she resigned.

Tulfo-Teo was embroiled in conflict of interest allegations for approving an advertisement deal between the DOT, which she then headed, and People’s Television.

The Commission on Audit (COA) found that the deal, which it flagged for lacking documents, paid out ₱60 million to Bitag Media.

Tulfo-Teo has repeatedly denied having knowledge of the deal and that it would benefit her brother’s production company.

Andanar has also denied having a hand in it, despite reports saying that he reached out to the DOT under Tulfo-Teo for a partnership in marketing Philippine tourism.

Tulfo-Teo’s camp has also said that People’s Television chose the time slot for the ads, picking 'Kilos Pronto' as the show that would carry the DOT’s advertisements.

Despite the COA and Senate Blue Ribbon committee chair Richard “Dick” Gordon seeing graft in the ad deal, Ben still refuses to return the ₱60 million his company earned through the controversial agreement, even if Mon has advised him to do so.

“He has his own mind. In fact, when I said, ‘Ben, I think you should return the money.’ He said, ‘F*** you. Don’t tell me what to do,’” Mon said. The special envoy has previously called Ben the “black sheep” of the family in a 2018 column about the ad deal.

The ad deal is a specter that continues to haunt the Tulfo siblings whenever their names return to the headlines.

This issue was brought up again by social media users after Erwin unleashed a string of insults against Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista for failing to take his call.

Erwin has since apologized for his “excessive rants” against Bautista, but refused to retract his criticisms.

Robert Chan, CEO of an Advertising Agency in the Philippines told AdChoiceTV News, that the ₱60 million contract for promoting the Philippines is too much for Bitag TV Ads and the fund should be for a prime time shows not for Bitag which market is only the Philippines and OFW. We never had the chance to bid for the government as this project did not go through a proper procurement, Chan said. The ₱60 million budget should be use in an International media as this is promoting the country, he added.

Mon said his brother would issue Monday an “unequivocal” public apology.


AdChoiceTV News, Francis Ilagan reporting.

The Real Suspect of Central Park Five

New York - Netflix’s new miniseries, When They See Us, tells the story of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise, the men known as the Central Park Five. They were falsely convicted of the brutal 1989 rape of Trisha Meili, and spent between six and 13 years in prison. The identity of the real perpetrator, Matias Reyes, wouldn’t be known until 2002. Here’s the story of his crime spree, and how, years later, the truth came to light.

Who is Matias Reyes?
Reyes was born in Puerto Rico in 1971 and moved to New York City as a child, following his mother. School reports noted his IQ as being in the seventies and described him as being “emotionally disturbed.” He later told psychiatrists that he had been sexually assaulted as a small child. 

By the time he attacked Meili in April 1989, Reyes was 18 years old and working as a deli clerk in upper Manhattan. He was considered a loner, known primarily to customers at his shop. He spent his nights sleeping in a van near the store.


What crimes did he commit?
Reyes committed his first known attempted rape in late 1988, when he attacked a twenty-seven year old woman in the pews of a 90th street church. He threatened her with a knife and choked her, but she was able to persuade him not to rape her.

His next known attack occurred on April 17th, 1989. He attacked, beat, and began to rape a 26-year-old woman in northern Central Park before passersby interrupted and Reyes ran away. The woman described the man who assaulted her as having new stitches on his chin. After checking with local medical centers, a detective learned the name or Matias Reyes, who’d recently received facial stitches at Metropolitan Hospital. But the victim left the city shortly after the attack and the detective on her case was transferred away from the sex crimes unit, and the case went cold. Investigators never connected Meili’s rape to the similar attack that had occurred just two days earlier.

He assaulted five more women in the following months, forcing his way into their apartments. During one attack, Reyes murdered Lourdes Gonzalez, a pregnant mother-of-three, while her children listened from the next room.

How was he Caught?
On August 5th, 1989, Reyes followed his final victim into her 91st Street apartment and raped her. She managed to escape and run for help, summoning a neighbour and her doorman, who apprehended Reyes until police arrested him.

Authorities quickly identified him as the serial criminal named the East Side Slasher for the apartment invasion rapes, and Reyes confessed to the crimes in detail under interrogation. His DNA was later found to match that of three victims, including Gonzalez. Reyes accepted a plea bargain, agreeing to serve 33 years to life in prison. At his 1991 sentencing, he punched his lawyer and had to be carried out by guards. The judge recommended Reyes be imprisoned for life. 

When did he confess to attacking Meili?
Reyes first met Korey Wise, one of the Central Park Five, when the two were imprisoned together on Rikers Island. There, they got into a fight over the television. But the two encountered each other again in 2001, in the Auburn prison yard, and had a friendly conversation. Reyes felt guilty for the fact that Wise was still imprisoned for a crime he had committed, and came forward to confess to raping and nearly murdering Meili in 1989. 

“I know it’s hard for people to understand, after 12 years why a person would actually come forward to take responsibility for a crime,” Reyes said to investigators in 2002. "At first, I was afraid, but at the end of the day I felt it was definitely the right thing to do.”

DNA evidence confirmed that Reyes had raped Meili. The Central Park Five’s convictions were overturned, and the men eventually settled a civil rights lawsuit with New York City for $40 million. Reyes is still in prison.

AdChoiceTV, Robi Chan contributed to this report

Tulfo Brothers Security Escort - REVOKED

MANILA, Philippines — The security escorts of the Tulfo brothers were recalled for evaluation, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Sunday.

The AFP recalled the two Marines assigned as escorts of Special Envoy to China Ramon Tulfo. due to lack of military personnel, according to Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson.

On the other hand, the recall of the police escorts of Tulfo brothers Erwin, Raffy, and Ben was due to a regular review and would be effective on Monday, June 3, according to Col. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson.

“Recalled for review, they are scheduled for inspection and interview and debriefing, which is a regular activity of Police Security Protection Group [PSPG]. 

So they are scheduled this week. So they are being recalled to report,” Banac told AdChoiceTV in a phone interview.

The PSPG is tasked with protecting government and private individuals whose lives are under threat, Banac explained.

According to Banac, the PSPG regularly does an evaluation to check if there is still a need for police escorts to be provided.

“This is Normal, all of the protectees, not only for Tulfo. We do have a review regularly. In the case of the Tulfos, it’s set for this week.,” Banac said.

The level of threat to the protectees are gauged to see if it remains very high or if there will be no more need for escorts, Banac said.

Banac denied that the recall of the police escorts was due to the recent controversy faced by Erwin, who berated Secretary Rolando Bautista of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for refusing to grant his request for a radio interview.

Bautista is a retired lieutenant general who was the commander of the Philippine Army.

His colleagues in the military slammed Erwin for berating him.

Arevalo said, however, that the recall of Ramon’s escorts had been scheduled as early as last year, even before Erwin’s outburst against Bautista.

“Due to the dearth of personnel, the Philippine Marine Corps has started recalling its Marines who were detailed outside the Corps as security detail,” Arevalo said in a statement.

“The Corps has sent correspondence to their respective principals since last year informing them of the order requiring the Marines to report back to Headquarters for consequent deployment,” Arevalo said. - AdChoiceTV News

AdChoiceTV Robi Chan contributed to this report.