Army general denies collusion with Sayyaf

CATBALOGAN, Samar – Army Brig. Gen. Romeo Dominguez admitted yesterday bringing money to the Dr. Jose Ma. Torres Hospital in Lamitan, Basilan to help pay for the treatment of his wounded men but clarified it was not his share of ransom from the Abu Sayyaf’s kidnapping activities as a Catholic priest had alleged.

Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday for the backgrounds of Abu Sayyaf leaders Ghalib Andang, Radullah Sahiron, Hector Janjalani and a certain Commander Sahliman.

The request is contained in a secret communiqué from US Embassy legal attaché James Nixon to PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza.

"As we all know both our countries are cooperating in all matters of mutual professional interests," read the communiqué. "The FBI is developing criminal cases against the leaders of the Abu Sayyaf."

The STAR saw a copy of the communiqué yesterday.

Dominguez, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division based at Camp Lukban in Catbalogan, Samar, was leading Task Force Comet, which is going after the Abu Sayyaf, when the bandits took over Torres Hospital and the nearby St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Lamitan last June 2.

Dominguez told The STAR yesterday that his accuser, Lamitan, Basilan parish priest Fr. Cirilo Nacorda, Basilan must have "misinterpreted" the fact that he had money in his possession and concluded that it was a bribe from the Abu Sayyaf to help them escape the massive military dragnet.

"Any (military) commander who gives that kind of order (to his men), the soldiers themselves will shoot him down," he said. "That is unthinkable and unimaginable."

Dominguez also denied Nacorda’s allegations that he was carrying "an attaché case full of money," saying that he has neither an attaché case nor a lot of money.

Army Col. Juvenal Narcise, whom Nacorda had also accused of complicity with the Abu Sayyaf, also came out yesterday to deny the allegations of the priest.

Narcise said he welcomes a congressional inquiry into Nacorda’s allegations so the truth will out and he can be cleared.

"I will be presenting the truth once and for all to clear this mess," he said.

Narcise said he is challenging the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to investigate Nacorda to find out if he is telling the truth or making up stories.

"The Catholic Church should dig deeper on his (Nacorda) background and be subjected to investigation," he said. "The Church should temporarily sanction Fr. Nacorda from serving the Church for having been a victim of the Abu Sayyaf."

Narcise said some hostages would not have been rescued had they connived with the Abu Sayyaf as Army troops clashed with the bandits a few hours after they landed in Basilan.

"While we tried to exert our effort and risk our lives, it is also unfair for him to say we have collaborated with the bandits," he said.

Quoting witnesses, Nacorda said Dominguez and Narcise ordered troops surrounding St. Peter’s Church and Torres Hospital to withdraw to allow the Abu Sayyaf bandits to escape.– With Roel Pareño, Jaime Laude, Paolo Romero, Artemio Dumlao