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Thursday, February 24, 2005
Oro mayor's confession irks Davao officials
By Aurea A. Gerundio and Danilo V. Adorador III
DAVAO CITY -- Two councilors in this city said Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano should have told police he knew of the plots to bomb the cities of Makati, Davao and General Santos and he would have saved lives.
"I wonder how he feels about the 12-year-old boy who died during the explosion," said Councilor Leonardo R. Avila III, referring to the bomb blast that rocked a bus terminal in Davao City on February 14.
Avila said it was "downright selfish" and insensitive" of Emano to withhold information about the bombings provided his city would be spared.
"He should be investigated," Avila added.
Emano said in a recent radio interview he had prior knowledge of the bombings and that his city was included in the terrorists' list of places to be bombed but he begged them to spare Cagayan de Oro.
"Our city and the city of Iligan were included in their list, but I pleaded (with them) not to include our city. With knees bended on the ground, head tilt toward heaven, hands crossed in pleading that our city be spared," Emano was quoted as saying in the local dialect during an interview with radio station dxIF-Cagayan de Oro on February 17.
Councilor Emmanuel D. Galicia Sr. also believed that Emano should be investigated and that any information he is holding in relation to the bombing incidents turned over to the police to aid in their investigation.
Galicia said the information might lead to the eventual arrest of those behind the bombing while Avila described Emano as having "harbored" terrorists because he "asked concessions from them".
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 11 said it will check on the report.
"Dapat makipagtulungan siya sa police kung may nalalaman siya (He should cooperate with the police if he knows something)," said CIDG 11 chief Superintendent Jose Pante, when told about Emano's statements.
The transcripts of Emano's radio interview are reportedly being prepared so the police could start their investigation. Police officials at the national headquarters in Camp Crame will reportedly conduct the inquiry.
In another interview on February 19, Emano reportedly claimed the 10 bombers were in Cagayan de Oro before the bombing incidents and that he even called them and talked to them in the phone.
City Administrator Wendel E. Avisado said Emano's constituents would have to judge if their mayor did the right thing.
Nevertheless, an irked Avisado said it was incumbent upon Emano to share that information with the authorities and with the cities concerned.
"He should have alerted us," Avisado added.
Davao City, though, is already coping with the results of the Valentine's Day bombing and that it is in a "business as usual" mood.
"Of course, as the economic center of Mindanao, we can't go anywhere but move forward," Avisado added.
During the airport and seaport bombings in Davao City a few years ago, the two mayors also figured in a row after Emano chided Duterte for challenging the terrorists to bomb his city.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Emano had figured in a row over a past bombing incident in Davao City. Recalling this incident, Avisado said, "it was presumptuous" of Emano to blame Duterte's strong words for the bombing incident, adding the Cagayan de Oro Mayor knew nothing of the affairs of Davao City.
Avisado said Emano was to blame for the "war of words" because the mayor placed Duterte "in a bad light".
Cagayan de Oro City's lone opposition councilor, Zaldy Ocon, who is also a native of Davao City, said Emano should expect "hell" from Duterte.
"Duterte would surely be fuming mad over this and it's possible that Emano would be declared persona-non-grata not only in Davao City but throughout the entire country," Ocon said.
Ocon earlier said Emano is facing investigation by the Philippine National Police following the claims made in the radio interview after the bombings.
Ocon said this was the information given him by Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who is also from Cagayan de Oro.
The legislator-broadcaster also cited an interview with Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Eduardo Ermita in which the official supposedly chided Emano for keeping the information to himself.
Ocon told Sun.Star the investigation will be undertaken by the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame.
He said the inquiry would start as soon as the police secured copies of Emano's February 17 and 19 radio interviews.
(February 24, 2005 issue)
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