Spy Probe Widens to Years Suspect Was at White House

"We're talking about opposition people and their desire to replace the current administration," said a U.S.-based American official familiar with the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity because the case is active. "They're not inside the current administration." The official said that those who received the information would be identified after the case goes to trial.

But several prominent critics of Arroyo's government have acknowledged that they obtained information from Aragoncillo and Aquino.

Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, who unsuccessfully challenged Arroyo in the presidential election last year, said in an interview that he had received e-mails from Aquino. Lacson, a retired national police chief, was the head of a special organized crime task force, and Aquino was a senior aide on that force.

Lacson said some of the e-mails Aquino sent were widely distributed to current and former members of the Philippine national police force while others were personal communications. He added that he did not consider the information to be sensitive intelligence, calling it nothing unusual.

"This was classified because it would embarrass the United States. There are opinions provided by certain officials of the United States government," he explained.

Although he said he had no direct knowledge of the U.S. investigation, Lacson said he expected he would be named in the United States as one of the three Philippine officials to be sent material by Aragoncillo and Aquino.

According to the criminal complaint, federal investigators first took an interest in Aragoncillo after he tried to intervene in behalf of Aquino, who had been arrested in March for overstaying a tourist visa.

Aquino had come to the United States almost four years earlier and settled in New York. When he left his homeland, he was under indictment for alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of a public relations executive who had quarreled with Estrada, and the man's driver.

After Aragoncillo contacted U.S. immigration officials this spring, identifying himself as an FBI employee and Aquino's friend, the FBI launched an audit of its internal database, which offers access to documents from various government agencies.

Investigators discovered Aragoncillo had used his top-secret clearance to download and print information relating to the Philippines although the material was outside his area of assignment, the complaint alleges. He then allegedly forwarded the information by e-mail, telephone and text message to the officials in the Philippines.

Federal prosecutors have charged the men with conspiracy and acting as unregistered agents under the direction of foreign officials. Aquino's attorney has denied the allegations. Aragoncillo has offered no public statement.

A U.S. official familiar with the investigation said Aragoncillo was paid to steal the information he obtained, but e-mail messages cited in the complaint also portray him as having an interest in shaping the politics of his birthplace.