Fernan Angeles: 'Why they want me dead'

By: Fernan Angeles
March 21, 2012 3:47 PM

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

On March 11, Fernan Angeles, reporter of The Daily Tribune covering the Office of the President, was shot seven times near his home in Pasig City. He was also beaten up, his right arm broken.
Even as Angeles was still fighting for his life, speculation began floating about his supposed involvement in illegal drugs. And police tasked to investigate the attack hinted they might serve a warrant for Angeles’ arrest on a purported drug charge even before they could identify the suspects on the attempt on his life. This prompted an admonition from Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who told police to focus first on getting Angeles’ attackers, and a policy statement from President Benigno Aquino III, who said he is expecting not just their arrest but the successful prosecution and conviction as well.
Since then, Faisal Sangcopan, one of three suspects in the attack, has surrendered and been charged with frustrated murder.
On Wednesday, March 21, exactly 10 days after the attack, Angeles sent an email to his colleagues in the Malacanang Press Corps recounting the circumstances leading to the attack. The email was sent just before he underwent surgery to remove a bullet lodged in his spine, among others.
InterAksyon.com is running Angeles’ email in full, edited only for grammar and clarity, after ensuring that his security will not be jeopardized. – Eds.

In a few hours, I’ll undergo another major surgery that would focus on (my) left lung that was hit by one of the seven bullets that nearly ended my life. I've already accepted the fact that I may no longer be able to walk, or hold on (to) something using my right arm. To me, sending this email is already a bonus.

As far as I remember, about 14 hours before I was shot near my house in Brgy. Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, I sent a text message to EPD (Eastern Police District) Director (Francisco) Manalo informing him of what I was told about another incident dragging the Pasig PNP (Philippine National Police) and the EPD of a glaring involvement in the drug trade via “arrest-seize drugs, sell liberty-re-sell seized drugs.”

I was hoping to get a reaction or at least clarification from where they could start moving. Instead, I got a reply saying, “tnx4 d info.”

To cut the long story short, I was shot by a group of men led by the very subject that I reported to him. Interesting how that very subject, Faisal, traced the leak of such info. Another reason I texted Manalo of my discovery was for me to at least be objective on news which many refer to as very alarming, only to be used as an instrument by a high profile police officer in trying to recover what looks like his share from the huge loot that his cops took from Faisal.

My text to Manalo somehow says, “pasig pnp just arrested drug personality faisal and seized half kilo of shabu, php 850 cash, 2 high end firearms, etc.” I also told him Faisal was made to pay 500k for his freedom, and help the cops turn seized drugs into cash by doing the brokering himself.

On the alleged warrant (against me), I must say: WAH!

Pangalan ko pa lang (at) address andito sa amin. They should have arrested me long ago kung tunay ‘yun. That cheap trick must have been related to the older columns I wrote (for the defunct Phil. Gazette and Opinyon) on how dirty (the) Pasig PNP is.

I survived seven bullets. They won't survive what I have for him. If there's any consolation, I'll make them very famous like my hero Andres Bonifacio.

Fernan J. Angeles
The Daily Tribune