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Monday, March 01, 2004
Court junks charges v. GenSan blast suspects
By Aquiles Zonio
GENERAL SANTOS -- A local court here has junked the multiple murder and frustrated murder charges against four suspects in the June 24, 2000 bomb attacks in General Santos City.
Judge Laureano Alzate of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), in his decision dated February 24, said though that the dismissal was provisional and that the charges against the suspects can be revived anytime within two years if the witnesses surface.
The court scrapped the charges after the three witnesses in the bombings failed to show up during the scheduled case trial despite several subpoenas issued by the court.
One died while 41 others sustained varying degrees of injuries when six successive bomb explosions rocked the commercial district of General Santos City in June 2000.
Cartographic sketches of the suspects were made based on the description of witnesses. Police used this to conduct several raids in attempts to capture the suspects.
The raids resulted in the capture Jimmy Matalam, Edgar Aton Gubat, Dema Macayao and Guindatu Mamantal Dulang, alias commander Bimbo.
Of the four accused, only Dulang was released because the three other suspects were facing other charges in court.
Gubat is facing illegal possession of explosives before RTC 37. The court set bail of P200,000 for his temporary liberty.
The Municipal Trial Court 2, on the other hand, convicted Haj Harsy Malagat for illegal possession of explosives. Judge Oscar Dinopol issued the decision only last February 5.
In the same order, Dinopol meted out a four-year jail term to Malagat. Malagat was also ordered to pay P11,000 in damages.
The court's verdict has yet to be indorsed to the Clerk of Court for recording and issuance of a new arrest warrant.
Malagat gained temporary liberty after he posted bail.
(March 1, 2004 issue)
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