During yesterday’s security briefing for the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, I asked the President’s national security adviser Norberto Gonzales why he once planted a bomb in a building which caused it to burn. And whether this could be considered an act of terrorism under present laws. He said he did it for a friend.

He replied, “We do not have bombs yet (then). It’s probably more incendiary. It’s ok with me. Those are in the past. Some of those I participated with are still living and they may not want it (known) .”

I then asked him – Would you consider, say under present laws, what you did is an act of terrorism? What disturbs me (is) how can we be assured that the government, namely you, is not part of any of the bombings now?

But he dodged the question and merely repeated it was all in the past and “I did it for a friend.”