|
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Militants tagged in plot to kill lawmaker
By Jeffrey M. Tupas
Correspondent
DAVAO CITY -- Names of prominent militant leaders emerged in the list of people eyed by the National Bureau of Investigation as behind the slay plot on Davao City Representative Prospero Nograles, a report said Friday.
Sun.Star Network Online's 12th Asean Summit Watch
Both Nograles and the bureau refused to identify the militant leaders pending an investigation.
"Investigation is massive. The plot thickens every hour. Information reaching me says it is even possible that the militant left has a hand in this. Even the National Bureau of Investigation has told me that they are not discounting that possibility since they (militants) have been staging rallies against me," Nograles said.
The congressman said he has a good relationship with militant leaders and does not believe they planned to assassinate him.
Militant leaders denied Thursday allegations that they were behind the attempt on his life and said these were no more than "poor show" and "gimmickry".
"Nograles is politically insignificant to us. We may have criticized him on issues that we believe were anti-people but we will never go down to his level of gimmickry. We challenge him and his sources to name names and present evidence," said Ariel Casilao, secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Southern Mindanao.
Casilao said it was understandable for Nograles to stage his kind of show because he has always been "artistahin (fond of acting)."
Bayan has consistently criticized Nograles, an ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Recently, Bayan and some other militant groups staged a rally in front of the house of Nograles, who was then busy defending Con-Ass in Congress.
"We consider this as part of his tactics to divert the attention of the people who are up against changing the Constitution...the people who are up against Nograles, De Venecia, and other lapdogs of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Obviously they have earned the ire of the people," Casilao said.
Reynaldo Esmeralda, deputy director for regional operations of the NBI, announced here Thursday that they were able to foil an assassination plot on Nograles. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (December 16, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Barangay treasurer robbed of P200-T payroll