FULL FORCE

In one of the biggest surveillance operations I became a part of, this one was a record of sorts.  It involved 4 teams of agents, 4 surveillance cars and 8 agents.  We did surveillance on 2 foreigners: a Japanese and a Caucasian.

The operation started at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) where we staked out and waited for the subjects’ arrival.  I was assigned to tail the Japanese from the airport to the Westin Philippine Plaza Hotel in Manila.  Being assigned as foot agent, I tailed the Japanese up to his room.

The following day, full force surveillance was done. The Japanese met the Caucasian at the hotel lobby.  After their breakfast, they boarded a car and all 4 teams of agents tailed them to Makati.  As we tailed the car where the 2 subjects were on board, we improvised a new style of surveillance for we were trained in utilizing only 2 surveillance cars.  The car where the subjects were riding was literally sandwiched on all sides including the front by our 4 surveillance cars.  We just regularly switched position every few minutes in order not to attract the attention of the subjects.

The operation was ended after the itinerary of the subjects was established.  The client was very satisfied.  He was amazed how we were able to take photos of the subjects from 4 different angles simultaneously.

Teamwork and our love for our work is the key to our success.  With these two working hand-in-hand, nothing is impossible.

DISCREET PHOTOGRAPHY

During the month of February, the demand for surveillance operations is so high that even office personnel like me is assigned to the field, if the need arises.  I was assigned as surveillance team leader/driver to do surveillance with only 1 foot operative due to the numerous operations being conducted simultaneously at that time.  Our mission was to conduct discreet photography on the subject and his female companion they are on their intimate moments.

During our operations, my foot operative asked me to join him inside Annabel’s Restaurant to do the discreet photography of the subject and his female companion since they were the only customers inside at that time.  Posing as diners and seated right next to the subject, my foot operative and I engaged in sales conversation where I was selling him my camera and he was inspecting the camera and haggling for the price.  All this was done while we press on the camera’s shutter alternately for continuous shots and the camera exchanging hands several times.  This cover story yielded different positive shots of both the subject and his companion from different angels in their sweet moments and the client was impressed with the result of the discreet photography.

BARKING AT THE WRONG AGENT

By: 241 RD

I was assigned to conduct secret investigation on a subject so I proceeded to her residence. My mission was to see for myself if she was pregnant. When I reached her house, five frantic dogs greeted me with their barks. I called for the subject and a female househelp opened the gate for me while she kept the dogs at bay.

I saw the subject and confirmed that she was really pregnant. Through proper cover story, I was able to gather more information about her. When she left, I found an opportunity to prepare my digital camera to take her picture. However, as I was getting ready to take the subject's picture, three big dogs barked at me. I was shocked, I almost dropped the camera. However, I got a grip of myself and maintained my composure.

Although I was not able to take the subject's picture, I accomplished the mission. I told myself that those dogs were probably disappointed because they may have fazed me for a moment but my fear of them did not prevented me from being successful in my mission.

ALMOST BUT NOT QUITE

By: 250BR

I will never forget the first time I handled Property Checking because it was also the first time that I almost had a "burnout." It happened when I was conducting an ocular inspection at the subject's office. Having taken the picture of the subject's office, I was about to call it a day. Suddenly, as I was walking toward the exit of the building, a woman went out of a door and confronted me for carrying a camera. The said woman accompanied me in going to their security officer. While the woman and I were in the elevator, I erased all evidence of my ocular inspection from the memory of my digital camera. When we were inside the office of security officer, the subject talked to me over the telephone. The subject was so mad and he kept on cursing as he interrogated me. Fortunately, I was able to answer him, divulging neither our client nor the mission. I still stuck to my cover and calmed down his anger. I was almost burnt out; almost but not quite.