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Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Authorities arrest bomb 'suspect' sans warrant
DAVAO CITY -- Like those in action movies, soldiers and policemen barged into a house in Bunawan Friday afternoon, plucked out a young man, and detained him for 30 hours on accusation of involvement in recent bombings that hit Mindanao cities.
That's how residents of Muslim Sambayan in Purok 5, Barangay San Isidro, Bunawan district described the scene that they saw when their neighbor Nahar Darawi, 20, was arrested without any warrant.
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The military, however, described what happened as just a mere invitation to the young man for questioning on the Kidapawan City bombing. The military said that Darawi voluntarily submitted himself to the authorities.
Darawi was freed Sunday morning since the police failed to file appropriate charges against him.
Darawi, a vegetable farmer, was "collared" a few minutes after the Muslim Sambayan in Purok 5, barangay San Isidro, Bunawan District on Friday afternoon.
No warrant
The police record showed that Darawi's detention came after combined forces of the police and military "conducted an operation on the alleged presence of a suspected member of terrorist reportedly involved in terrorism in Tacurong."
SPO1 Julianito Lenterna of the Bunawan District Police Office confirmed the arrest.
"There was no arrest warrant because he was just invited for questioning. The police only invited him for verification," Lenterna said.
Task Force Davao chief Allan Luga said Darawi was only invited "for custodial debriefing and questioning on matters related to the Kidapawan City bombing."
Luga said authorities also questioned Darawi about Basit Usman, the alleged brains behind the recent bomb attacks in various key cities of Mindanao --
Kidapawan, General Santos, and Cotabato.
"He (Darawi) submitted himself voluntarily for questioning," said Luga, adding that Darawi was released because there were no reasons for him to be held longer or no case filed for him to be detained longer."
Forcibly taken
However, Darawi said he was forcibly taken by the police and the military.
One of those security forces, he said, even threatened to shoot him, even in front of his family and relatives.
Darawi, in an interview with a national daily, said he was taking a nap when the armed security forces arrived and interrogated him.
Darawi was first interrogated under a fruit tree from 2 to 5 p.m. When he was taken to the Bunawan Police Station, the interrogation continued.
The Darawis and their relatives assailed the way the authorities barged into their houses without the necessary papers.
Family alarmed
"What they did was so frightening. Then just suddenly arrive and barged into our houses. They were so fierce that we were frightened," said Imam Sammy, Darawi's father.
"We asked for their search warrant but they told us that they don't have one because it was an emergency," Imam Sammy said.
Imam Sammy is now worried about his son being stereotyped as terrorist, especially that Darawi is planning to go back to school.
"How could he go back to school now that he has a record," the father said. (JMT of Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (February 27, 2007 issue)
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