Ebdane denies ordering Batasan break-in; turns emotional in presscon

Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. turned emotional during a press conference Friday as he denied masterminding the switching of the genuine 2004 elections returns with manufactured ERs by a team composed of members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police.

Speaking at a news conference held in Iba, Zambales which started with his tribute to former Zambales Rep. Antonio Diaz who passed away Wednesday, Ebdane said his main concern now is his province. “I never thought of my family. Nag-retire ako, pumunta ako rito sa probinsiya with nothing less but the interest of my province.” He choked and quickly left the press con.

Ebdane tried to turn the table against his accuser, Senior Supt. Rafael Santiago by mentioning the electronic bikes and explosives that are allegedly in the position of the former Zambales provincial police director.

“Sinayang niya ang pagkakataon. Inaanak ko siya sa kasal,(He wasted the oppostunity. He is my wedding godson)” he said.

Ebdane said despite what happened he is still “willing to help” Santiago but he said “he has burned the bridge. He has no more bridge to walk on.”

He said he had to call three people to help him reconstruct the events on the evening of Jan. 19, 2005 when he was supposed to have met Senior Supt. Rafael Santiago at Figaro on Commonwealth Avenue to discuss the Batasan break-in.

He said “I’m a senior government official. Why would you meet in a place like that unless magmi-merienda lang.” At that time he was the national Security Adviser. He was also PNP chief, secretary of National Defense. Twice he held the position of secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Ebdane reiterated his earlier statement that he will answer all the allegations at the proper forum and time.

Santiago in an Inquirer report Thursday denied allegations that he stole firearms and equipment from the Zambales police district office and that he has a pending extortion case.

‘I’m not a thief.I would be stupid to come out if I have a closet of skeletons or whatever. This is expected. The worse we can expect actually is they physically eliminate us,” he said.

Santiago said he was unceremoniously relieved as the Zambales provincial director last month “without even paying (me) a small courtesy.”

“They treated me like I am a plebe,” he said. Santiago belongs to the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1986.

Santiago is being investigated for theft and suspected links to illegal mining operations in Zambales. Among the missing items are 30 electronic bikes worth P45,000 each, Kevlar vests and helmets, rifles, computers and pieces of evidence like ammonium nitrate and detonation cords. Some items donated to the police were also missing, Senior Supt. Wendy Rosario, acting Zambales police director, said.

Santiago’s lawyer, Victor Rodriguez, said the timing of the allegations was questionable, “the only purpose is to water down his credibility”

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