MEMBERS of the family of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona have more things to worry about than the outcome of his impeachment trial.
As a result of the historic and televised trial, the security and privacy of the Corona family may
have been compromised as sources said that the chief magistrate’s phones were tapped.
An unimpeachable source close to the Chief Justice’s family told The Manila Times that Corona’s cellular phone was “bugged,” citing at least two incidents proving that text exchanges among members of the family were being monitored.
In one incident, Corona sent a text message to his wife Cristina, in which he set the time and place of their supposed meeting one afternoon. Moments later, an unidentified text message reached the chief magistrate.
“O, magkikita pala kayo mamayang hapon (So you’re seeing each other this afternoon),” it said.
On another occasion, Corona’s son, Francis, forwarded a prayer to his father for strength to face the impeachment trial when another text message came in.
“Idinadaan mo na lang sa dasal, ano? (Now you’re resorting to prayer, eh?),” the message said.
“This would just show that the Chief Justice can be tracked down wherever he goes. It is a message to convey that we are monitoring you and there is no other way to go but resign,” The Times’ source said.
Military
A high-ranking official who has knowledge about wiretapping told The Times that only the military had the expertise, capability, resources and gadgets to conduct bugging activities.
In fact, during the May 2004 elections, then-Commission on Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and then-President Gloria Arroyo were wiretapped and their recorded conversation eventually became known as the “Hello Garci” scandal.
The source said that the conversation was only made public and could not be used in any court of law because it was inadmissible as evidence. It was then established that the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) conducted the wiretapping of Mrs. Arroyo’s line. ISAFP agent Vidal Doble confirmed this during congressional inquiries into the “Hello Garci” case.
Even the late National Bureau of Investigation deputy director Samuel Ong claimed that he had in his possession “the mother of all tapes” in connection with the scandal.
The official said that since the military had the expertise to conduct wiretapping activities, its personnel would not do it on their own and would seek permission from a higher office.
The Armed Forces is under the Department of National Defense, now headed by Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, one of the most trusted officials of President Benigno Aquino 3rd.
The President is the commander-in-chief of all uniformed services.
“No other agency has the expertise to do wiretapping activities but the military,” the source said.
Easier
Wiretapping during the “Hello Garci” scandal was done by recording the conversation between Mrs. Arroyo and Garcillano. In Corona’s case, his short messaging service (SMS) was tapped, allowing somebody else to access messages received or sent from his cellular phone.
The expert said that it would be much easier to access SMS than record phone conversations because text messages could be read clearly and saved immediately.
“Mas madali i-wiretap ang text messages kaysa sa pakikinggan mo ‘yung (It’s easier to tap text messages than recording) telephone conversation. But both can be done,” the source added.
According to him, President Aquino ordered all cellular phone companies to shut down their services on January 9—the feast of the Black Nazarene—in anticipation of a possible terrorist attack.
“If they can do it during the ‘Hello Garci’ scandal and recently during the feast of the Black Nazarene, they can do it to Chief Justice Corona,” the official said.
The Times tried to get comments from members of the Corona family but they refused.
Illegal
Wiretapping is illegal under Republic Act 4200, also known as an act to prohibit and penalize wiretapping and other related violations of privacy of communication, and for other purposes.
The government official pointed out that if indeed Corona was wiretapped by the military, the resources of the government were used for an illegal activity and the resources being used were taxpayers’ money.
“The problem there is not only that the wiretapping is illegal in itself, but the government is using its resources, the taxpayers money were being used to their satisfaction,” the source said.
As a result of the historic and televised trial, the security and privacy of the Corona family may
have been compromised as sources said that the chief magistrate’s phones were tapped.
An unimpeachable source close to the Chief Justice’s family told The Manila Times that Corona’s cellular phone was “bugged,” citing at least two incidents proving that text exchanges among members of the family were being monitored.
In one incident, Corona sent a text message to his wife Cristina, in which he set the time and place of their supposed meeting one afternoon. Moments later, an unidentified text message reached the chief magistrate.
“O, magkikita pala kayo mamayang hapon (So you’re seeing each other this afternoon),” it said.
On another occasion, Corona’s son, Francis, forwarded a prayer to his father for strength to face the impeachment trial when another text message came in.
“Idinadaan mo na lang sa dasal, ano? (Now you’re resorting to prayer, eh?),” the message said.
“This would just show that the Chief Justice can be tracked down wherever he goes. It is a message to convey that we are monitoring you and there is no other way to go but resign,” The Times’ source said.
Military
A high-ranking official who has knowledge about wiretapping told The Times that only the military had the expertise, capability, resources and gadgets to conduct bugging activities.
In fact, during the May 2004 elections, then-Commission on Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and then-President Gloria Arroyo were wiretapped and their recorded conversation eventually became known as the “Hello Garci” scandal.
The source said that the conversation was only made public and could not be used in any court of law because it was inadmissible as evidence. It was then established that the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) conducted the wiretapping of Mrs. Arroyo’s line. ISAFP agent Vidal Doble confirmed this during congressional inquiries into the “Hello Garci” case.
Even the late National Bureau of Investigation deputy director Samuel Ong claimed that he had in his possession “the mother of all tapes” in connection with the scandal.
The official said that since the military had the expertise to conduct wiretapping activities, its personnel would not do it on their own and would seek permission from a higher office.
The Armed Forces is under the Department of National Defense, now headed by Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, one of the most trusted officials of President Benigno Aquino 3rd.
The President is the commander-in-chief of all uniformed services.
“No other agency has the expertise to do wiretapping activities but the military,” the source said.
Easier
Wiretapping during the “Hello Garci” scandal was done by recording the conversation between Mrs. Arroyo and Garcillano. In Corona’s case, his short messaging service (SMS) was tapped, allowing somebody else to access messages received or sent from his cellular phone.
The expert said that it would be much easier to access SMS than record phone conversations because text messages could be read clearly and saved immediately.
“Mas madali i-wiretap ang text messages kaysa sa pakikinggan mo ‘yung (It’s easier to tap text messages than recording) telephone conversation. But both can be done,” the source added.
According to him, President Aquino ordered all cellular phone companies to shut down their services on January 9—the feast of the Black Nazarene—in anticipation of a possible terrorist attack.
“If they can do it during the ‘Hello Garci’ scandal and recently during the feast of the Black Nazarene, they can do it to Chief Justice Corona,” the official said.
The Times tried to get comments from members of the Corona family but they refused.
Illegal
Wiretapping is illegal under Republic Act 4200, also known as an act to prohibit and penalize wiretapping and other related violations of privacy of communication, and for other purposes.
The government official pointed out that if indeed Corona was wiretapped by the military, the resources of the government were used for an illegal activity and the resources being used were taxpayers’ money.
“The problem there is not only that the wiretapping is illegal in itself, but the government is using its resources, the taxpayers money were being used to their satisfaction,” the source said.
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