"Sir, the other day Leandro 'Lean' Aragoncillo called me. ... He wants to talk to you and give you some updates on the political situation in the country."

--E-mail allegedly sent in January 2005 by Michael Ray Aquino, a former senior Philippines police official, to Filipino opposition Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Aquino's former boss.

 

 

"I find all the information that you are sending me very useful. I hope you will continue sending more."

--E-mail allegedly sent in January 2005 from Lacson to Aragoncillo.

 

 

"By no means would you show this information. ... I will be affected severely. Again, please protect the source - Me."

--E-mail allegedly sent in August 2005 from Aragoncillo to former Philippines President Joseph Estrada.

 

 

"There is significant risk of disappearance because of the significant penalties faced if convicted of the offenses charged, the strength of the existence of the commission of these very serious offenses involving the misappropriate (sic) and theft of classified information, frequent travel and ties outside the United States, the existence of significant debt and questionable employment status. All of these facts show the defendant has the motive, means and wherewithal to flee and not appear at future proceedings."

--U.S. Magistrate Judge Patty Shwartz

 

 

"While Estrada espouses a champion of the poor image, he is no choirboy. Another fact of his character is his 'machismo' persona, that of a heavy drinking, pugilist and playboy. ... He has been openly ridiculed for scandalous behavior, including siring seven illegitimate children." Estrada "remains an influential wildcard in Philippine politics."

--From a four-page classified U.S. government report dated August 2005

 

 

Filipino President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo "is a weak reactive leader whose technocratic leanings, oligarchical upbringing, overbearing personal style and inability to connect with ordinary Filipinos have kept her popularity ratings low in a country that reveres warm and outgoing personalities." Her election "was tainted by credible rumors of corruption and vote-buying, leaving her legitimacy once again in question following her rise to power."

--From a three-page classified U.S. government report dated July 2005.

 

 

Arroyo's vice president, Noli de Castro, "fumbled expressions and some mistakes in grammar. .... We inquired about the biography of Rudy Giuliani sitting atop a small stack of books on de Castro's desk and he said that it was a gift and he hadn't read it. ... There is no indication de Castro has much knowledge or interest in foreign policy issues. ... On Iraq, however, he said he didn't understand 'what was behind it.'"

--From a five-page classified FBI Intelligence Assessment dated July 2005.

 

 

"Many view (de Castro) as a substantive lightweight," and his biggest liabilities include "weak language skills. His speechmaking even in Tagalog has not won rave reviews, either." De Castro is "not afraid to call senior ABS-CBN (Philippine media) members via cellphone on a moment's notice and ask questions about news coverage and foreign affairs."

--From a six-page classified U.S. government document dated May 2005.

 

 

"An aide to Macapagal-Arroyo told us they already have identified most of the activists who might be pulling strings and weaving plots, and are keeping them under close surveillance. ... It is certainly in Filipino's interest to upend the Macapagal-Arroyo government and also put an end to the judicial cases against Estrada."

--From a two-page classified U.S. government document dated April 2005.