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Saturday, March 08, 2003
Salamat in murder charge of Davao blast
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO -- Police filed multiple murder and frustrated murder charges against top leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) headed by chairman Hashim Salamat and two relatives of the alleged suicide bomber blamed for the airport bombing last Tuesday that left 23 people dead and 115 others wounded.
Charged with the MILF leaders were Terso Sudang, a barangay captain of Kabacan, Cotabato and Undungan Sudang, father of Muntazer Sudang, the suspected suicide bomber who died in the same bombing incident. The two are presently detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group headquarters.
Terso and Undungan were among the 11 suspects invited to the CIDG for questioning in connection with Tuesday's bombing of the DIA waiting shed. The remaining nine suspects were released Friday.
The Sudangs tried came to claim the body of Muntazer at the Davao Medical Center (DMC) when CIDG agents picked them for questioning.
The CIDG accused the Sudangs of being active members of the MILF under the direct control of Salamat.
Terso Sudang, however, denied all the allegations saying that they were all lies. "Talagang walang katotohanan lahat ng mga bintang nila. Nagulat na lang kami nung inaaresto na ng mga CIDG. Pero, nandito na ito. Hihintayin na lang namin ang katotohanan sa kasong ito (There is no truth to all their accusations. We were just surprised when CIDG agents arrested us. Now that its here we'll just wait until the truth comes out)," Terso said.
Terso and Undungan tried to claim the remains of Muntazer Sudang Wednesday at the DMC morgue. They said were surprised when members of the CIDG arrested them.
According to military officials, Muntazer is a young Moro separatist with explosives strapped to his body, was behind the bombing of the DIA.
Initial intelligence reports of the military revealed that Muntazer carried a backpack containing the explosives that ripped through the waiting shed in front of the DIA. It was not immediately clear if the suspect planned to leave the package in the airport or if he planned to die in the attack.
Evidence of the bomber's identity were recovered from the blast site, which investigators then cross-checked on a roster of MILF recruits that was recovered by a military unit following a clash in Kabacan with an MILF band sometime in 2000, defense department records show.
Sudang had apparently joined the MILF soon after he turned 16.
Defense department documents said he was probably attached to a Davao-area MILF unit that is led by a man called Jibran Ali bin Davao.
Police sources named Mastura Gumawan, the senior leader of the MILF forces in the Cotabato region that includes Kabacan, as the one who "directed" the Davao attack.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said investigators "was able to connect the bombing to the MILF," hence, MILF leaders are to be included in the criminal charges.
One piece of evidence discovered by authorities that linked the bombing to the MILF was the pipebomb, a device used in the bombing allegedly a forte of the MILF.
Justice Undersecretary Jose Calida tasked to oversee the prosecution said police are also checking at the unusual absence of Muslim traders, who used to frequent the airport on business transactions, shortly before the explosion.
Duterte earlier warned, "I won't make any distinction of whether the suspects were the MILF or the Abu Sayyaf. When you explode a bomb and kill children, how can I categorize you as a rebel? I will not consider them rebels because that's a noble line."
Denial anew
In a telephone interview Friday, MILF vice chair Al Hadj Murad denied military reports that pinpoint them as mastermind behind the bombing. He said they are also condemning the dastardly act which left 23 people dead and injured 115 others adding that the perpetrators should be punished.
"Wala kaming kasalanan. Di kami gagawa ng anumang bagay na makakasira sa credibility ng MILF. In fact, nakikipagtulungan pa nga kami kay Duterte. He (Duterte) could confirm na may open communication kami with him (We did not do it and we will not destroy the credibility of MILF. We are even assisting Duterte)," Murad said.
Murad also denied that Salamat refused to talk with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte a few days before the airport bombing.
"Hindi sya ini-snub ni chairman Salamat. Pero kung di nga sila nagkausap sa Pikit noon dahil na din yun sa kaguluhang nangyayari dun at maaring wala din talaga si chairman Salamat nung panahon na yun (Salamat did not snub Duterte. War was raging in Pikit at that time and maybe Salamat was really not in the area)," said Murad.
Duterte earlier revealed that he had a premonition that something bad would happen in Davao after Salamat refused taking his calls.
Murad said despite Duterte's strong statements against top MILF leaders during the Expanded Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting Thursday they still support and respect Duterte.
Murad said they "hope Duterte would be enlightened by Allah and not easily influenced by war mongers."
"Pinupuri namin ang leadership ni Duterte lalo na sa anti-drugs campaign nya. Sana makita nya ang totoo. Malapit ang loob nya sa mga Muslim sana di sya magbabago dahil lamang sa maling pag-aakala na dulot ng maling report ng ibang tao. Panalangin namin na sanay patuloy na guidance ng Diyos sa kanya at sanay maliwanagan sya (We admire Duterte's leadership. We hope he sees the truth. He is close with the Muslims and we hope this does not change with false reports of some people. We pray that God will continue to guide and enlighten him," said Murad.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu, on the other hand, said they could not do anything with the government's decision to put the blame of the airport bombing on them.
"That's their decision, we cannot stop them," Kabalu said.
When asked if they will also declare war against Duterte who earlier said it's high time for the MILF and the government to "square off" Kabalu said they had long been at war. He did not elaborate further.
Anti-terror law
In Manila, President Arroyo urged Congress to swiftly pass an anti-terrorism law to help the government meet the threat of those behind the deadly bombing of the Davao International Airport.
"Now I ask Congress to help me achieve justice and stop terrorism," Arroyo said in a speech at the presidential palace.
"I ask Congress to help me now pass an anti-terrorism act."
Several bills pending in the legislature seek to allow the prosecution of suspects for certain acts as terrorism.
One bill seeks to authorize the police to make arrests even without a court order, and to detain people for up to 36 hours without charge if there is reasonable ground to suspect they are about to commit a terrorist act.
Aside from pressing Congress for the Anti-Terror law, the president is also asking the help of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC's) help in cracking down terrorists cells.
Arroyo said she will appeal to the OIC to help curb the entry of terror groups into the country and also block the flow of funds to terror cells from abroad.
Sources said OIC is set to send its representatives to monitor the developments of the Davao bombing incidents.(Sun.Star Davao)
(March 8, 2003 issue)
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