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Tuesday, April 05, 2005
More witnesses sought for American national's case
By Raquel C. Bagnol
THE City Prosecutor's Office (CPO) has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to give them more time to look for witnesses who can identify American treasure hunter Michael Terrence Meiring who nearly died in an explosion inside his room at the Evergreen Hotel in Davao City in 2002.
In a one-page letter to the DOJ dated March 22, Chief Prosecutor Raul B. Bendigo said they have already submitted two sets of documents in compliance to the directive of the DOJ dated February 17.
The submitted documents included two certified copies each of the resolution of assistant City Prosecutor Arlene Palabrica, information for illegal possession of explosives, arrest warrant, certification from the court that the arrest warrant is outstanding and the case has been archived, and affidavits of witnesses.
Bendigo, however said, as Meiring was spirited out of the country before the arrest warrant was issued the CPO has no photograph of him except for a xerographic copy of a Bangsa-Moro MNLF identification card where his picture appears.
"We need to have witnesses who will execute affidavits that the picture in the xeroxed identification card is really Meiring," Bendigo said in an earlier interview.
Meiring, who lost his legs in an explosion inside his room on May 16, 2002, told a hotel staff that he was into gold and treasure hunting, and a resident of Los Angeles, California, USA.
Meiring is facing charges of illegal possession of ammunition and reckless imprudence resulting to damage to property but Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he should be charged with arson, too, for burning a portion of the hotel.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (April 5, 2005 issue)
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