Contradicting his earlier statement on TV that he beat up common-law wife Rachel "Che" Tiongson and her boyfriend Richard Catral upon catching them "in the act," deputy national security adviser Luis "Chavit" Singson now says he saved their lives, reports GMANews.tv.
"Kinonfront ko sila. E kaso lang nung umakyat uli ako, nabugbog na sila...Ako nga nagligtas e, dahil papatayin na nga sila…'wag niyo galawin 'ka ko dahil tayo nag-iisip naman, hindi naman tayo mamamatay-tao" he told DZBB radio.  When asked who beat up Tiongson and Catral, he said,  "Yung mga sumubaybay sa kanila. Akala nila utos ko."
When DZBB called Tiongson afterwards to get her reaction, she said,  "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." Tiongson has asked the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to issue a temporary restraining order  against Singson.
On September 4, Malacañang press secretary Cerge Remonde merely advised Singson to "behave  accordingly as an upright citizen and to submit himself to due process of law," instead of penalizing him with any sanctions. Singson's reaction? "Behaved nga ako e. Kung hindi ako behaved e 'di patay na yan," he said.
On September 6, Malacañang said Singson would not be penalized with preventive suspension because the issue is a  "domestic problem." But in a press briefing on September 7, 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." According to GMANews.tv,  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. However, Fajardo reiterated that there is currently no administrative action against Singson.
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