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Friday, October 17, 2003
Team probing Mindanao blasts gathers evidence
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO -- A fact-finding group looking into the spate of bombings in Mindanao held a consultation in Davao City Thursday to gather more information as well as present the evidence it was able to collect on its investigation into the incidents.
In a press conference Thursday noon, Dr. Robinson Montalba, convenor of the Mindanao Truth Commission investigating the Davao twin blasts and all other Mindanao bombings, said the public inquiry they are conducting all over the island was to get hard evidence that would point to the brains behind the attacks.
He said so far, all they have in their hands are the sworn statements of several soldiers and civilians attesting to the alleged role of the military in the bombing incidents, especially the explosions that rocked the Davao City Airport and Sasa Wharf on March 4 and April 2, respectively.
At least 39 persons were killed while 170 others were wounded in the twin explosions.
The group said Army Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, 1st Lt. Jose Enrico Dingle and 2nd Lt. Kristopher Bryan Yasay all executed sworn affidavits claiming they were ordered by their superiors to conduct covert operations to bomb mosques in the region.
In his affidavit, Maestrecampo claimed he was ordered by his battalion commander Major Rene Paje to form a special team "for a covert operation with a mosque as target."
"I was made to understand that the operation involved the throwing of grenades at a mosque," said Maestrecampo in his affidavit.
"I immediately questioned the order because I told Major Paje that civilians were not our enemies, so I told him straight, Sir hindi kalaban yun (Sir, they are not our enemies). He (Paje) told me this was an order and he was merely relaying it to me. When he noticed that I was not receptive to the idea, he just turned his back at me and left," added Maestrecampo.
Maestrecampo's claim was corroborated by Dingle who claimed to have also been approached by Paje regarding the plan to bomb mosques.
Dingle said he ordered his executive officer, Yasay, to form the covert team and coordinate with Paje for the details of the mission.
Yasay, meanwhile, attested that Major Paje ordered them to "scrape off the markings on the grenades they were going to use to prevent anyone from tracing the origins of the grenades."
"He likewise ordered us to remove the plastic wrappings of the C-4 (explosives) so that the same may not be identified," said Yasay.
The three witnesses said they did not participate in the actual bombing of the mosques.
Montalban also said the body is looking into reports that a "third force" was behind destablization attempts against the government.
Members of this group, accoring to Montalban, have suspected the government of President Arroyo of being responsible for the Mindanao bombings.
Montalban said one Hadji Abdullah Lacs Dalidig, chair of the Muslim multi-sectoral movement for peace and development (MMPD) in Marawi City, testified he heard no less than President Arroyo blaming the supposed "third force" for the Davao bombings during her visit to Iligan City last June 14.
"As of this time, we can not push through with the Palarong Pambansa not because I am afraid of the MILF, but I am afraid of the Third Force," Dalidig quoted Arroyo as saying when he requested the President to push through with the holding of the national games in Tubod, Lanao del Norte during a conversation. Sun.Star Davao
(October 17, 2003 issue)
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