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THE
National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection
Group (CIDG) on Monday filed four counts of murder and
12 counts of frustrated murder charges against three
suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in connection with the
November 13 bombing of the South Wing of the Batasan
Complex which killed four people, including a
congressman, and injured several others.
Justice
Secretary Raul Gonzales, at the same time, dismissed
requests by some groups for an independent investigation
into the Glorietta and Batasan blasts, saying that such
action is already “irrelevant.”
Charged
before the Department of Justice (DOJ) were Caidar Aunal,
41, Ikram Indama, 35, and Adham Kusain, 21, who were
arrested in a raid near the Batasang Pambansa complex
two days after the
bombing.
Still at
large are Benjamin Hataman, a staff member of party-list
Rep. Mujiv Hataman of Anak Mindanao, and other
still-unidentified assailants.
Senior
State Prosecutor Peter Ong, who is handling the case,
identified the complainants as Isabela Gov. Jum Akbar
and Isabela City Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar, wives of
Liberal Party Rep. Wahab Akbar of Basilan, who died in
the bombing.
Other
complainants were Alexandra Bustalino, Nor-Rhama Indanan,
Rodolfo Relente and Frederick del Castillo. Relente and
del Castillo were among those injured in the incident.
The
three suspects agreed for the conduct of a preliminary
investigation by the DOJ and said they would submit
their counter-affidavits and evidence related to the
charges during the preliminary investigation scheduled
on November 29.
In its
complaint, the CIDG said it received information from a
tipster that the person who parked the dilapidated
motorcycle in the parking lot of the South Wing was
living at B-4, L-23,
Anahaw Street,
Parkwood Hills, Quezon City, with a certain Abu Jandal
and other suspected Abu Sayyaf members.
Further
checks revealed that Abu Jandal has standing warrants of
arrest issued by Judge Danilo Bucoy of the Regional
Trial Court in Basilan for kidnapping and serious
illegal detention.
On
November 15, the CIDG swooped down on the lair of the
suspects, resulting in the killing of Jandal, Redwan
Indama (a cousin of Ikram) and Saing Indama.
The
police recovered from the scene several unlicensed
firearms and ammunition, two motorcycles and other
items.
In his
sworn statement, Indama admitted participation in the
bombing and said he was paid P10,000 by Redwan to do the
job.
The
explosion that took place at about 8:15 p.m. on November
13 caused the death of Akbar. It also caused severe
injuries to Lakas Rep. Henry Teves of Negros Oriental,
party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela, Ismael
Lim, Vercita Garcia, Dennis Manila, Kimbarham Indanan,
Larry Noda, Paula Dunga, Allan Malagabnan, Relante and
del Castillo.
Meanwhile, Director General Avelino Razon Jr., National
Police chief, said the three suspected Abu Sayyaf
bandits arrested have claimed responsibility for the
explosion at the House of Representatives.
Interviewed over radio program Karambola on dwIZ shortly
before investigators filed criminal charges against the
three, Razon said Ikram Indama, Kaidar Awnal and Adham
Kusain, whom he described as very cooperative, admitted
their participation in the bombing during interrogation.
Razon
said the police are looking into the claim that the
three were ordered by a “House staff” to conduct the
bombing.
“Iyan
po ang tinitingnan natin. Kung sino ang nag-utos at kung
sino ang mastermind,” said Razon.
Speaker
Jose de Venecia Jr., at the same time, said security at
the Batasan complex has been “significantly augmented,”
and an upgraded security system is taking shape that
will use camera monitors and bomb-sniffing dogs
following last week’s bombing.
De
Venecia made the announcement following a three-hour
meeting with Senate President Manuel Villar Jr.,
Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Razon, and the
Sergeants at Arms of the House, Bayani Fabic, and of the
Senate, Jose Balajadia.
De
Venecia said that as a long-term solution, the
continuing security dialogue will consider as a model
for a security system the US Capitol Police Force in
Washington, D.C., which is in charge of security on
Capitol Hill and within 300 meters of the perimeter of
the US Congress.
A new
police security contingent at the Batasan is in place
and the old unit has been recalled and its members put
under investigation for “possible factors that led to
the bombing,” Razon said.
He said
the new unit from the Special Action Force will
“immediately address the security requirements and
enhance the security setup of the House.”
Razon
also said the police will welcome any separate
investigation into the Batasan bombing, but that this
must be based on solid evidence.
He said
any separate investigation must be backed up by evidence
as he moved to dismiss speculations that the attack was
not really against Akbar and that the three suspects
they arrested were fall guys.
Razon
said the National Police is conducting its investigation
based on evidence and facts and “not on mere speculation
and hearsay.”
Meanwhile, party-List Rep. Mujiv Hataman of Anak
Mindanao went to the CIDG on Monday to deny involvement
in the bombing.
Hataman
said Ikram Indama, one of the suspects, was not his
employee as claimed by the mayor of Lantawan, Basilan.
“The
records of the House of Representatives are open. They
could go to the House and see for themselves whether
Indama is really my employee,” he said.
Reports
earlier said Hataman and former House deputy speaker
Gerry Salapuddin, two of Akbar’s political foes in
Basilan, have been pointed to by Indama as the
masterminds behind the attack, whose aim was to kill
Akbar.
But the
Metro Manila police commander, Director Geary Barias,
denied this, adding that both were not even considered
as suspects.
The
claim was also denied by Hataman and Salapuddin.
Salapuddin admitted, though, that Indaman had worked as
his driver for more than three years, but that the
latter left him after his term as a congressman expired.
Hataman
said that during his visit to the CIDG, he was asked
about Indama, Khaidar Awnal and Adham Kusain.
He said
he only admitted knowing Redwan Indama, who is his
distant relative, and “denied any involvement in the
bombing.” |
