By Jarius Bondoc
The Philippine Star
09/08/2003

"I bare open my heart. I tell it all. I had my share of sins. But I want good to triumph over evil."

Thus did Danny Devnani preface his sworn confession of vice and crime on Aug. 29, 2001, at the height of Senate investigations of Sen. Panfilo Lacson's criminal activities. It is an unusual affidavit, with no numbered items or pointed accusations. But he detailed his dealings with Joseph Estrada, Atong Ang, and Lacson about kidnappings in the name of campaign fund-raising.

Late night of Aug. 31, 2003 in Pasay City, unidentified armed men ambushed Devnani. He escaped unscratched. The attempt on his life may have something to do with his narrative, condensed here:

As early as 1999, I had wanted to come out and expose what I know. At the height of Erap's power in 1999, I met with Cardinal Sin on Sept. 13 about what I will now tell you. I also talked to Manuel Morato, former charity sweepstakes head, and Edcel Bentain, brother of missing Pagcor employee Edgar Bentain. In Oct. 2000, before Erap was impeached, I had two meetings with then-Sen. Teofisto Guingona, to whom I shared vital information on illegal activities of Erap and his group.

I agonized over my next moves. There were times when I was torn between telling the truth and keeping quiet. I went through soul-searching. It was a time I asked God for guidance.
I am Indian, a lawful permanent resident of the Philippines, of legal age, married to a Filipino, with three children. After years of employment in garments factories, I set up my own firm which, at its peak, grossed $4-$5 million a year in exports. In 1998 we closed shop due to financial losses. I had squandered the company's money in the casinos.

Atong Ang introduced me to the vice. Before that, I never gambled in my life. I am now convinced he induced me into high-stakes gambling to make me vulnerable and expose me to illegal activities. I met him in 1993 through Eli Gardiner, president of my civic club and of Club 419, secretly owned by Erap. We often played high-bets cards and billiards. I became a member by paying P20,000. It was here where athlete Arnie Tuadles was killed. When Club 419 attracted media attention, Erap changed it to International Business Club, with me as front-owner.

To cover gambling losses, I borrowed money from banks and casino financiers. One time, my P4-million loan from Ang's pal, Quintin "Totoy" Llorente, swelled to P15 million due to interest. Ang would often call me at night to gamble. Over four years, I lost P100 million. Ang would lose P60-100 million in just one night at Heritage Hotel. Erap was present two
of those times. I was with Erap 20-30 times at the casino. In the controversial videotape leaked by Bentain, I was the man shown behind Erap.

I gave him close to P2 million for casino bets, his charities, and his foreign trips. At Club 419 in early 1996, Ang asked me to engage in kidnapping for ransom. He wanted me to identify rich members of the Indian community. He persisted for weeks, but I always refused. He claimed that Erap needed campaign funds for the 1998 presidential election.
Sometime October 1996, Ang showed me a list of rich Indian nationals. I was surprised he knew them. Many nights later I got a call from a friend those brother had been abducted. He needed help and knew I was close to
Erap. I had a feeling Ang had a hand in it, so I called him. He just laughed and said that since I knew about it already, I might as well act as ransom negotiator. He asked if the victim could pay $2 million. The kidnapper also called my friend for the same amount.

Negotiations took days. Ang went to my friend's house, flashed an ID-card of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, put a gun on the table, and bragged about intimacy with Erap. When his cellphone rang, he showed us Erap's name on the screen. Ang settled for P30 million, saying he needed to let the victim off quick because another kidnapping was to be pulled. The family could raise only P27 million; he lent them P3 million, to be collected later. After Ang got the rnsom, I was to pick up the victim at a restaurant. Inside I saw Joel Arnan, No. 2 man of the Kuratong Baleleng. Assured that the ransom was with Ang, he turned over the victim to me.

I met KB boss Renato Parohinug five to six times in the company of Ang and Eddie Boy Villanueva at different places. One time, he introduced to Ang a pal whom he wanted appointed as Customs collector in Ozamiz.

I learned of three other prospective victims to be kidnapped by Totoy and Col. Carding Dapat. Warning the victims, I helped prevent it. I have witnesses willing to talk.

Sometime 1997, Totoy asked to tag along with his girlfriend on my business trip to Hong Kong. There he invited me to join him in kidnapping and illegal drugs. When I refused, he kept pressuring me to pay up on my gambling debts. In April 1998, a month before elections, I reported to Ang that Totoy was pestering me and even offered to drop everything if I joined his gang. He called Dapat to tell him about my complaint and that Ping Lacson had given instructions to stop the kidnappings since elections were drawing near. He then dialled another number and explained that he was calling Ping to say he had fixed things with Dapat.

That reminded me of past revelations of Arnie and Arnan that after Ping ordered the rubout of 11 KB members, the gang plotted to get even by assassinating him and Erap. The KB dropped the plan on the intercession of
Villanueva. A deal was struck: the KB was to be allowed to kidnap for ransom, the group of Ang and Ping would supply the names of victims.

When Erap became President, I tried many times to tell him about the kidnappings. He kept avoiding me. At a party at Guia Gomez's house, I whispered about it to his ears. He did not respond. I wrote him on my birthday, July 1, 1999, stating that my only wish was to speak to him. He called me to Malacañang three days later - not to talk about it but to give me a check for P3 million. This confirmed my belief that he was a patron and benefactor of the KB.

One time I asked Ang if he ever found out who leaked the casino videotape. He said he would, very soon. In Jan. 1999 I bumped into Ang, Villanueva, a police officer and their security escorts at a casino restaurant. Ang was very tense when he whispered to me that Bentain was several tables away. Days later I read in the papers that Bentain had disappeared.

:: Bing Thursday, September 11, 2003 [+] ::
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