Philippine Officer Denies Involvement in Presidential Wiretapping Scandal

[struggle4progress]

From Associated Press
MANILA -- A military intelligence officer implicated in the wiretapping of the Philippine president as she allegedly discussed an election fraud plot was taken into military custody today but denied involvement in the scandal. <snip>

Sgt. Vidal Doble, who had been holed up in a Roman Catholic seminary in metropolitan Manila since at least Friday, emerged today and was taken into military custody, military spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Honrado said. <snip>

Samuel Ong, the dismissed deputy head of the justice department's investigation agency, also sought refuge at the same seminary after he told a news conference Friday about the alleged recordings and accused Arroyo of trying to rig the elections.

After taking refuge, Ong told local media that Doble was among several military intelligence officers who gave him wiretapped recordings on which he claimed Arroyo talked to an election official about ensuring a 1 million-vote margin over her closest rival in the bitterly contested May 2004 elections. The government says the tapes were doctored. <snip>

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-061305ppines_wr,0,204992.story?coll=la-home-headlines