Singson backtracks, now claims he saved partner’s life

Deputy national security adviser Luis "Chavit" Singson on Monday backtracked from his earlier public admission that he beat up his live-in partner Rachel Tiongson and her lover, saying instead that he had saved their lives by stopping the private detectives he had hired to stalk the pair from killing them. In an interview over radio dzBB, the former Ilocos Sur governor said, "Kinonfront ko sila. E kaso lang nung umakyat uli ako, nabugbog na sila (I just confronted them. But when I came up, they had already been beaten up)." Singson added, "Ako nga nagligtas e, dahil papatayin na nga sila … ‘wag niyo galawin 'ka ko dahil tayo nag-iisip naman, hindi naman tayo mamamatay-tao (I actually saved them, because they were about to be killed … I said, don't touch them because I’m in my right mind, and I'm not a murderer)." When asked who beat up Tiongson and her lover, Singson said, "Yung mga sumubaybay sa kanila. Akala nila utos ko (Those who were monitoring the two. They thought it was my order)." Singson's latest statement contradicted his earlier admission that he himself beat up the two after he allegedly “caught them in the act." Tiongson has asked the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to issue a temporary restraining order against Singson because of the incident. In a press briefing on Monday, deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelai Fajardo said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, as a woman and head of government, "is alarmed and seriously concerned by such charges versus a person who is regarded as part of her upper circle." Fajardo said the President has already instructed national security adviser Norberto Gonzales, Singson's immediate supervisor, to look into the matter and make the appropriate recommendations. She reiterated that there is currently no administrative action against Singson. "Personally I know out of delicadeza, Gov. Singson doesn’t need the President to tell him to file a leave of absence. Maybe he can do that himself, he can volunteer, to file a leave of absence if he feels the need to settle also his personal problem first," Fajardo added. On Sunday, Malacañang had said Singson would not be slapped with preventive suspension as urged by some lawmakers because the issue is a “domestic problem." According to Singson, he had behaved properly in dealing with Tiongson and her lover. "Behaved nga ako e. Kung hindi ako behaved e ‘di patay na yan (I was behaved. If I wasn't behaved they would be dead already)," he said. Earlier, Malacanang had released a statement advising Singson to "behave accordingly as an upright citizen and submit himself to due process of law." But an angry Tiongson slammed Singson for his new claims. "Talagang naiyak ako at masakit kasi talagang napaka-sinungaling niya talagang tao, na sinasabi niya na sinave niya ko, sinasabi niya na iba ang nambugbog sa 'kin (I cried because it hurts me how much of a liar he is. He's saying he saved me and that others beat me up)," she said over radio dzBB shortly after Singson's interview. "Alam niya naman yung katotohanan e. Saka may nakakita naman sa 'kin e, kahit yung kapitbahay namin, yung kaibigan ko. Pero I'm sure takot lang talaga lahat magsalita yan dahil sa kanya (He knows the truth. And there were people who saw me--our neighbor, my friend. But I'm sure they're just afraid to speak out because of him)," Tiongson said. "Inamin niya rin naman nung una, sinabi niya siya yung nambugbog. Nagpasalamat pa nga ako na hindi niya ‘ko pinatay, ‘di niya kami pinatay. Tapos ngayon sinasabi na naman niya na hindi. Para lang niya akong tinutulak ngayon na talagang kailangan ko siguro talagang ipakulong na lang talaga siya (He had already admitted earlier that he beat us up. I even thanked him for not killing us. Now he's saying that he didn't do it? He's leaving me no choice but to push for his imprisonment)," she added. Singson has said he is planning to file theft charges against Tiongson for allegedly stealing jewelry from their house in Metro Manila. Singson is reputed to be one of the country’s most powerful politicians. His testimony against former President Joseph Estrada’s supposed illegal gambling activities led to his former friend’s downfall and subsequent conviction in a plunder case filed by the Ombudsman. President Arroyo, however, granted Estrada full pardon soon after the Sandiganbayan sentenced him to imprisonment in late 2007. Singson ran but lost in the 2007 senatorial elections. President Arroyo appointed him as deputy national security adviser last year. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV