The Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) yesterday said it is not engaged in monitoring political enemies of President Aquino’s administration.
“We never do that, that’s very ungentlemanly,” said ISAFP chief Maj. Gen. Eduardo Año on allegations that the military group is spying on critics of the President.
“ISAFP, under my leadership, is a professional intelligence organization,” he said.
Earlier reports said ISAFP is using “radio frequency test equipment,” a German technology used also by the US, which can reportedly gather massive amounts of information from emails and cellular phones.
The budget department released the funds for the acquisition of the equipment in October 2011.
Reports said a team of intelligence personnel had been already formed to monitor critics of Aquino and his administration, with the use of the P135-million equipment.
“We still do not have that kind of technology,” said Año. “If we have, we will never use it for any political purpose or unauthorized purpose...Our main focus is to gather intelligence against threats to national security and terrorist groups.”
But the ISAFP has been used for political interests.
During the 2004 elections, ISAFP recorded conversations of then President Gloria Arroyo and then elections commissioner Virgilio Garciliano on expected vote margins.
Told that ISAFP was used by previous governments to spy on its enemies, Año said: “Yes, there were allegations, issues before. Of course, I cannot speak for those especially because I was not the commander (of ISAFP then).”
http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/isafp-we-may-be-snoops-we%E2%80%99re-not-political-snoops
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