January 7, 2002
Metro Manila

He claimed he was spokesman of the Young Officers Union (YOU). His claim was, however, persistently denied by other YOU officers who publicly pointed that CERVANTES does not speak for the YOU. They also said that he was never part of the YOU and was not an Army captain as he claimed. A diligent search of existing files and information reveal an interesting insight on the real persona of CERVANTES.

CERVANTES was a graduate of San Juan de Letran where he became a cadet officer of the school�s Citizen Military Training Unit. As a cadet officer, he became acquainted with young RAM officers who later organized the YOU.

In 1986 Baron CERVANTES representing Letran College joined the Nationalist Students Alliance, one of the groups that were organized by the group of Rudy SOLIMAN, former Kabataang Barangay National Operations Director, to support President Ferdinand MARCOS in the snap elections of 1986. He also befriended a brother of a known Marcos loyalist, former Col. Rey CABAUATAN. He and Rey CABAUATAN also knew each other.

Being an Advance ROTC graduate, he applied for commission in the AFP in 1988. Records indicate that he entered the military service with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant (inactive) in March 1988 and was called to active duty in October 1988. He applied for regular commission and was eventually appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Regular Force effective December 31, 1989. CERVANTES was with the Philippine Army starting 1990 and was assigned with the 67th Infantry Battalion sometime in 1993. He was tried for desertion in the same year (1993), declared AWOL and dropped from the rolls in 1994.

When the RAMOS administration was holding peace talks with the RAM/YOU, he volunteered to do secretariat work for the RAM. Records show that he was not among the YOU members who were tried under the general court martial after the coup attempt in 1989. Though he was not part of the coup attempt, his name was included in the list of officers and soldiers who were later granted amnesty.

During the coup attempt in 1989, he suddenly appeared at the Laurel residence along Shaw Boulevard supposedly to offer support to then Vice President Salvador LAUREL in case then President Cory AQUINO would be unseated. Soon, he started frequenting gatherings of the opposition especially those held at the Laurel residence. Here he began introducing himself as a rebel soldier. He was able to befriend the Laurel family who knew him as �Mark�. Meanwhile, some staff members of the Laurel family suspected that he was surreptitiously photocopying documents at the Laurel residence.

A YOU member suspected that CERVANTES was the one who took some missing documents related to the operation that freed RAM officer Billy BIBIT from prison. Some YOU leaders had expressed doubts about him from the start. Besides, nobody could ascertain where he came from. After the YOU practically disintegrated, CERVANTES used his acquired acquaintance with some YOU personalities to get closer to the RAM. He attended RAM public affairs and would get himself photographed with RAM personalities. He appeared in several published photographs and TV videos with Senator Gregorio HONASAN other RAM personalities.

CERVANTES was reinstated in the Army in 1998 and was recommended to take the Infantry Officers Basic Course the same year. The course was canceled and CERVANTES dropped out of sight without officially informing his superiors; hence, he was again dropped from the rolls in September 1998. While in the military, he underwent basic airborne course and the Scout Ranger Orientation Course. An undated military report on his background said CERVANTES had hoped to cover up his dishonorable dismissal and his insatiable hunger for fame and popularity by stirring up trouble with reports of coup and dragging himself and YOU into the limelight. The report noted that CERVANTES had been presenting himself as a captain despite the fact that he was never promoted. The report also said that CERVANTES had in several instances introduced himself as chair of the Strategic Intelligence Management Group of the YOU, a unit that does not exist.

In April 2000 during the term of President Joseph ESTRADA, CERVANTES, then no longer an organic member of the military, tried to join the Presidential Security Group but was not entertained.

IMPLICATIONS OF BARON CERVANTES� DEATH

In the early evening of December 31, 2001 a lone gunman walked up to and shot CERVANTES in the head leading to his death a few minutes later at the hospital he was brought to. The incident happened in front of a drugstore along the Alabang-Zapote road at Las Pinas City where CERVANTES was apparently waiting for some one. A few hours before the killing, it was reported that CERVANTES had visited the residence of COPA secretary general Pastor �Boy� SAYCON whom he was not able to see. The subsequent investigations into the killing, however, reveal some interesting information.

National Security Adviser Roilo GOLEZ admitted to media that CERVANTES was under contract with his office as consultant, that he had known CERVANTES for a long time, that they were together in several protest actions that unseated President Joseph ESTRADA. Another report states that he also works as consultant for Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA.

CERVANTES is a known supporter of COPA if not actually a member of it. At the very least, he is closely associated with known COPA leaders including SAYCON. SAYCON himself admitted that CERVANTES left some intelligence reports about a coup plot, to include a gift from GOLEZ, at his residence on that fateful day. Later, Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption head Dante JIMENEZ also admitted to media that CERVANTES provided him intelligence reports on bidding anomalies at the LTO.

A few days prior to his death, the country was besieged with talks of an impending coup. Later, CERVANTES came out with a public statement revealing the holding of a meeting of coup plotters at Puerto Azul before Christmas. The RAM/YOU denied being involved in a coup plot even as it disowned CERVANTES.

On the surface, what becomes evident about these instant developments is that CERVANTES was working for the government as an intelligence asset. What is not clear is how CERVANTES is being used, whether to gather intelligence or to spread disinformation. It would appear, however, that he is performing both functions.

His persistent acts to misrepresent himself as the YOU spokesman, and later his attempts to rejoin the mainstream YOU, is perhaps designed to insinuate himself into the rebellious sector of the police and Armed Forces, not to help propagate the ideals of the organizations, but to infiltrate these for intelligence purposes. On the other hand, being under the control of an intelligence agency, CERVANTES is being used to float coup rumors, the rationale being that government is supposed to react and arrest whoever might be involved in a coup plot, that is, those it wants to neutralize.

The underside of things, however, indicate a more sinister probability. Given the current political climate, i.e., the growing dissatisfaction with President Gloria Macapagal ARROYO and her politicking against the backdrop of an economically deteriorating nation, an attempt to dislodge her seems to be a tempting option. A cursory look at recent political developments would tell us why.

It�s still two years away from the 2004 presidential elections. Yet, some political personalities have already sounded off their intentions to run in the presidential derby. A case in point is former President Fidel V. RAMOS who lately had been tickling the public with pronouncements that the constitutional ban on presidents seeking reelection has not yet been tested. FVR, however, probably knows deep inside him that he is no longer legally allowed to run for reelection.

Several political observers have pointed out that between now and 2004 PGMA is already safely ensconced in her position barring any extraordinary events. Of late, groups which helped catapult her to the presidency are the ones perceived to be leading the destabilization moves against her. Early on, it was the COPA which severed ties with PGMA although it did not attack her openly. And lately, it was the People�s Consultative Assembly, which was at the forefront of criticisms against the administration. Invariably, FVR is linked with both organizations. It is, therefore, understandable that PGMA would be pissed off with both organizations.

Where would CERVANTES fit into the picture?

Going over the actuations of CERVANTES, one would be led to conclude that he was indeed performing intelligence work. His attempts to photocopy documents at the Laurel residence, the missing YOU documents related to the BIBIT being freed from prison, and his effort to rejoin the YOU all indicate some sort of intelligence gathering activity by CERVANTES. Just who his controller is may not be known for a long time. To begin with, the attempt to spirit documents out of the Laurel residence happened in 1989. It is therefore unlikely that he was already under the control of GOLEZ who was not yet then involved in national security matters or politics. But CERVANTES could not have been doing some obvious intelligence gathering on his own. He had to be handled, controlled and supervised by somebody.

It was said earlier that on the surface he is known to be working for the National Security Council as a consultant. But knowing the self-esteem of GOLEZ and the host of resources at his behest, it is likely that CERVANTES� consultancy is merely a last-minute try to cover up his official connection. More likely, he is an action agent of the NICA as some newspapers lately revealed. His �infiltration� of the RAM or YOU would appear more to be directed or supervised by this �somebody� and later by GOLEZ or the NICA. Even then, CERVANTES appears to be a loose cannon, an independent operator who used his NICA or NSC connection as his legitimate cover but who may be actually an intelligence peddler to the highest bidder. His association with the COPA appears to have no political or patriotic undertones. It might be correct to assume that he also infiltrated COPA for his own intelligence purposes whatever they may be.

As things turn out, CERVANTES may have been a witting tool of the administration for the political purposes it wanted to use him. But he also worked for the COPA, which had detached itself from the administration, obviously as a penetration agent. And he wanted to rejoin YOU obviously again as a penetration agent. But, as it was pointed out earlier, he may have been working for somebody else other than the NSC/NICA. His triple dealings may have been found out or displeased whomever was perceived to be directing him and for this reason he was killed.

Apart from his regular duties as an intelligence operator, CERVANTES may have been wittingly or unwittingly used as a destabilizing agent. His infiltration of the YOU, his self appointment as YOU spokesman, and his penetration of the COPA clearly indicate that whoever was handling him wanted to project him as a �force� to reckon with. CERVANTES served two purposes: to steal the thunder from the mainstream RAM-YOU and to intimidate GMA. Only COPA and its allies in the Arroyo administration could possibly pursue such a combination of objectives. GOLEZ apparently agreed with only the first objective and was getting wary about CERVANTES' penchant for personal publicity. GUINGONA was simply gullible and swallowed hook-line-and-sinker whatever stories CERVANTES whispered to him.

Claiming that if not for Chavit Singson, a leading COPA personality, ERAP would not have been overthrown, COPA believes it deserves a larger share of the EDSA II spoils. Intimidating GMA with coup threats while implying that they can control the coup plotters was one way COPA leaders wanted to deliver that message. However COPA may have soon found out CERVANTES could not muster any significant following within the AFP nor outside it. His make-believe stories and impersonation were being realized by more and more people. So COPA found the necessity of linking with the mainstream RAM-YOU, those factions amenable to a critical collaboration with a remix of EDSA II forces. This move appeared to belittle the role of CERVANTES who by then was already threatening to issue press statements damaging to COPA and their military allies.

SAYCON tried to pacify CERVANTES who felt abandoned by COPA's overture to the mainstream RAM-YOU. CERVANTES in return tried to personally deliver to SAYCON another report on an alleged coup plot to prove his value. SAYCON avoided to see CERVANTES in person to receive that report. CERVANTES had to leave the report with the maid after fruitlessly waiting for SAYCON for four hours in the latter's house.

That CERVANTES was performing intelligence functions has already been established. But who is controlling him? At his first crack at intelligence gathering, the Laurel house incident, he may have been working for Army Intelligence or ISAFP as he was already in the Army at that time. But in the subsequent incidents especially after 1998, he was no longer connected with the military. Media reports indicating CERVANTES was submitting reports to SAYCON, a civilian and member of a group disaffected with the administration, is revealing.

For CERVANTES to be submitting reports to COPA would mean that he was performing intelligence work for COPA. But then, what would COPA need intelligence reports for, specially about coup plots? Intelligence is valuable if it can be used properly, particularly when exploited to preempt threats. In this case, the threat was a coup plot against the ARROYO administration. How or why would COPA preempt that threat if itself was not affected by the threat?

It would appear, however, that CERVANTES was killed because of his discovery of the threat which ironically was prominently featured in the media. CERVANTES may not have known it but COPA appears to be involved in the plot if there was indeed one. Sometime before the end of 2001 CERVANTES publicly warned the Arroyo administration that it will be swept away from power if it fails to reform soon.

The Arroyo administration reacted by insisting that any attempt to topple the government by force will not succeed. Coup rumors persisted since then and the usual suspects were named in various media reports � the RAM, the YOU and the multitude of ERAP supporters.