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Thursday, May 27, 2004
MILF asks peace panel to probe bomb suspect
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- A Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) official said they want the case of their field commander suspected of being involved in the Davao twin bombings investigated by the joint MILF-government coordinating committee on the cessation of hostilities (CCCH).
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said just like in the case of other active regulars who got entangled with the law they wanted the joint CCCH to get involved in the investigation to ensure a fair and impartial probe.
He said they are now preparing to file a formal request before the joint committee.
MILF field commander Abdul "Bado" Cacinto, 30, of Sirawan in Toril, Davao City was captured in Barangay Baybay in Malalag, Davao del Sur at around 10 a.m. last Sunday. He was arrested by elements of the Davao del Norte police.
But Sr. Supt. Anselmo Pinili, Davao del Norte Police provincial director, told Sun.Star that Cacinto was not arrested for his alleged involvement in the twin bombings but because of two standing warrants of arrest for other crimes.
"We were told na kung di lang din namin ma-substantiate yung (that if we are not able to substantiate that) angle na yan (we) might as well not give any statement related to that," Pinili said, referring to earlier accusations of police that Cacinto was involved in the bombings of the airport and wharf in Davao City.
Pinili said Cacinto is the commander of the MILF's 2nd Division Unit 1 operating in Upper Daliaon, Toril and has at least 50 armed regulars under his command.
Kabalu earlier confirmed Cacinto is an active regular of the MILF, but denied the suspect has anything to do with the series of bombings that rocked Mindanao last year.
Pinili earlier refuted Kabalu's claim, saying the suspect admitted during initial investigations that he served as lookout when Sasa wharf was bombed in April 4 last year.
But Cacinto later denied any involvement in the March 2003 attack on the Davao International Airport and the bombing of the city's wharf a month later, claiming he was forced by police to admit involvement.
"I initially got scared, that's why I was prompted to admit the bombing," Cacinto said cellular phone interview from his detention cell.
Pinili, however, said intelligence reports pointed to Cacinto as a key suspect in the bombings, adding the government had earlier placed a P300,000 bounty on his head.
Nevertheless, Cacinto was arrested for the murder of SPO3 Jessie Espinosa last March 9, 2003 and car theft with homicide in Pantukan, Compostela Valley and not for the twin bombings, explained Pinili.
Cacinto, according to Pinili, is also suspected to be involved in other bombing incidents in Davao Region, such as the attacks on the Carmen, Davao del Norte municipal hall, the rocket-propelled-grenade attack on San Miguel Brewery plant in Darong, Sta. Cruz town in Davao del Sur and the aborted bombing of the Panabo City wharf.
The suspect is now jailed at the Tagum Provincial Jail. It was learned though that no charges in relation to the Davao bombings were filed against Cacinto as of press time.
(May 27, 2004 issue)
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