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THE
National Police said on Wednesday that the explosion at
the House of Representatives on Tuesday night was
principally aimed against Liberal Party Rep. Wahab Akbar
of Basilan, who was killed.
This
developed as another casualty in the bombing, Hayudini
Julasiri, Akbar’s driver, died, raising to four the
death toll in the bombing.
Aside
from Akbar, the blast, which took place at the south
wing lobby of the House just minutes after it adjourned
its session, also killed Maan Gale Bustalino and Marcial
Taldo.
Bustalino is a staff member of Lakas Rep. Henry Teves of
Negros Oriental while Taldo is a driver of party-list
Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela.
The
blast also wounded 12 people, including Ilagan and Teves.
Director
Gen. Avelino Razon Jr., National Police chief, said
investigators are already zeroing in on a particular
group, but refused to name it.
He also
said investigators are looking for a group which owned
up to the attack against the congressman, which motive
is yet to be determined.
As this
developed, President Arroyo ordered the creation of an
interagency task force against political violence and
set aside a P5-million reward fund for the deterrence of
bombing incidents and the apprehension of perpetrators.
The
President also urged the people to await the outcome of
the police investigation on the blast, “instead of
engaging in speculations that may sow fear [and]
confusion and hurt the business environment.”
She
added: “No words can describe our condemnation of this
violence, but we will not allow ourselves to be
paralyzed by those behind it because we want our good,
stable economy to continue. The rule of law must
prevail. No person is above the law. Justice must be
served and the law upheld.”
However,
party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros of Akbayan called for a
credible investigation into the tragedy, saying the
police “seems to be confusing the issue.”
“There
is reason to believe that this is not an attack against
a single member of the House of Representatives. This is
an attack against the institution itself, a horrible
attempt to kill a huge number of people,” Hontiveros
said, saying the bomb was meant to injure and scare
members and employees of Congress, especially since it
was timed immediately after the adjournment of the
session.
She
expressed surprise over the police claim that the entire
incident was directed against Akbar alone.
“The
basis of this theory should be explained thoroughly, not
through speculation but through evidence. It seems
strange that even before releasing the result of the
initial investigation, the police already declared that
the incident was specific to Representative Akbar,”
Hontiveros said.
“Without
any evidence that Representative Akbar was the sole
target of the bomb, such a theory appears to be meant to
condition public opinion on the bombing.”
“We
already received a text message that a certain group has
owned up to the explosion,” Razon said.
The text
message read: “We would like to inform the public that
we are claiming the bombing at Congress. More bombings
will come, Abdul Mushaf, ASG.”
However,
reports said Abu Sayyaf commander Noth Mudalam, who is
based in Basilan, has denied his group’s involvement in
the explosion.
“He is
our avid supporter, it is very remote for us to
liquidate him,” he was quoted by a report as saying.
Environment Secretary Lito Atienza led key leaders of
the Liberal Party (LP) in denouncing Akbar’s killing.
“This is
such an outrage that words fail to describe the anger
and pain that we’re feeling right now,” Atienza said.
“This travesty committed on Rep. Wahab Akbar, and on
Congress itself, must not go unpunished, its
perpetrators meted the harshest of penalties.”
“This is
not simply an attack on one lawmaker. It is an assault
on the institution of democracy itself,” Atienza added.
Senators
advised President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo against using
the Batasan blast to justify the re-imposition of
emergency rule, warning the move could plunge her
beleaguered administration into deeper problems.
“President Arroyo must be warned against doing a
Musharraf. Or else, there will be more problems ahead,”
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said,
referring to the Pakistani army general who is under
pressure to lift emergency rule and call early elections
to restore democracy in Pakistan.
Pimentel
proposed that in order to restore the confidence of the
Filipino people, the administration must “identify,
arrest and prosecute those responsible for the explosion
at the Batasan.”
Senate
President Manuel Villar Jr. assured that the Batasan
blast will not deter the Senate from doing its job of
passing reform bills and conducting investigations in
aid of legislation.
“We will
not let the perpetrators of this dastardly act of terror
intimidate us into inaction,” Villar vowed during an
interview at the Quijano de Manila Symposium at the
Cherry Blossoms Hotel in Manila.
“We will
continue to legislate reforms and provide the venue to
discuss issues affecting our nation today.”
Razon
said the explosion came from a homemade bomb which was
attached to a motorcycle parked near the steps of the
Batasan Pambansa’s south lobby.
The bomb
was triggered by a cell phone. The cell phone had been
recovered by investigators.
Director
Geary Barias, Metro Manila police commander, said
scene-of-the-crime operatives were not able to recover
the license plate of the motorcycle.
He also
said its engine number was tampered with but
investigators were able to identify it as a Honda 125
XRM.
“We are
already making an effort to ask Honda as to who owns the
motorcycle,” Barias said.
The
police also showed a video that was taken by a
surveillance camera at the House indicating that the
explosion took place at 8:16 p.m.
Barias
said security at the Batasan Complex was very lax,
saying motorcycles could easily make an access to any
area in the compound.
All 60
out of the 85 commercial airports in the country were
placed under tight security alert in the wake of the
Batasang Pambansa bombing.
Chief
Supt. Atilano Morada, director of the National Police
Aviation Security Group, said “Oplan Jumbo” has been
activated and the alert level has been raised to ensure
the safety of the riding public.
The
United Opposition (UNO), meanwhile, condemned the
bombing at the Batasang Pambansa.
In a
statement, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, UNO president,
said: “We extend our condolences to the families of
those who were killed and pray for the immediate
recovery of those who were injured.
“Sadly,
this tragic incident only serves to reinforce a
perception of rising lawlessness, which could have a
negative impact on international perceptions on the
stability of the
Philippines.
A bomb explosion within the grounds of Congress sends
the chilling message that ordinary Filipinos and
government officials are equally vulnerable to lawless
elements, whether in their homes, on the streets or in
their place of work.
“We do
not want to add to the confusion by speculating on the
motive behind the bombing. We trust that our
investigating authorities will do their work and be as
thorough as possible.”
The
fragmented House of Representatives set aside politics
for the first time and became united in condemning the
bombing, even as one of its members called for a review
and overhaul of House security measures for their
apparent lapses.
Lakas
Rep. Rodolfo Antonino of Nueva Ecija vowed to lead a
congressional inquiry on the bombing.
Lakas
Rep. Neptali Gonzales II of Mandaluyong agreed with the
observation that there were lapses in the House
security, citing a number of different people freely
going in and out of the Batasan Complex.
Even as
the President appealed to stop speculations and
presumptions on the incident, militant legislators said
the attack could be a diversionary tactic on current
political developments.
“The
latest attack on the House of Representatives leads us
to conclude that there is an undeniable pattern of acts
of violence occurring at the most conspicuous political
timing. That this recent tragedy, no different from the
Glorietta blast, is once more a diversionary tactic is
highly probable,” said party-list Rep. Liza Maza of
Gabriela.
“The
Congress blast now comes at the eve of the Senate
investigation of the Malacañang breakfast bribery and
the committee on justice’s dismissal of the impeachment
complaint against President Arroyo,” she said.
As a
result of the bombing, regular policemen guarding the
Batasan Complex were replaced by Special Action Force
troopers who inspect thoroughly every vehicle entering
the complex.
Deputy
Speaker Eric Singson, the leader of the LP in the House,
questioned how such an act could be carried out quite
literally on the doorstep of Congress.
“This
brazen act isn’t just the death of one congressman and
injuries of two more, as well as the death and injury of
several others. This is about an assault on one of the
pillars of government,” Singson added. “This will make
us afraid in the conduct of our duties, [and] the
nation’s security forces must make sure that this
doesn’t happen again, and that those who perpetrated
this dastardly act must be made to feel the full force
of the law.” (With M. Gonzalez and F. Marasigan) |
