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Saturday, November 17, 2007
Ex-House leader denies links to Batasan blast
MANILA -- Abdulgani “Gerry” Salapuddin, former House deputy speaker for Mindanao, said he has nothing to do with the bomb explosion at the Batasan complex last Tuesday.
But he admitted though that Ikram Indama, one of the three suspected Abu Sayyaf Group members who were arrested during Thursday’s raid in Payatas, Quezon City, was his former driver.
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"I don't deny that he (Ikram Indama) worked for me as a driver. But after my term, I don't know what happened to him," Salapuddin said.
Salapuddin lost to Basilan Governor Jum Akbar, one of the four widows of the late Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar.
But despite their political difference, Salapuddin said: "A grieving person's normal instinct is to suspect a political rival as the killer. But my electoral protest was not against Wahab Akbar. My protest was against his wife."
Representative Akbar was among the four persons killed in the explosion that hit the South Wing of the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City last Tuesday. Several others were also injured in the blast.
Payatas raid
Police are now eyeing the possible connection of the Payatas raid to the Batasan blast.
Anak Mindanao party-list Representative Mujiv Hataman, who has also been linked to the bombing, said Redwan Indama, one of the three fatalities in the Payatas raid, was his third cousin from father side.
Redwan Indama, he said, was a former member of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and former municipal councilor of Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.
Hataman also confirmed seeing Ikram Indama as driver of Salapuddin, a former commander of MNLF, during his stint as congressman of Basilan in the 13th Congress.
Ikram Indama's identification card was recovered by the policemen during the raid. It stated that he was detailed with Salapuddin.
Aside from Ikram Indama, two other suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels -- Khaidar Awnal and Adham Kusain -- were also arrested.
In the same raid, Redwan Indama, his wife Saing, and Abu Jandal alias Bong were killed.
For his part, Salapuddin said he knew Redwan Indama and Saing but not Abu Jandal, adding that his driver was a nephew of Redwan.
"I know Redwan Indama because he is a former member of the MNLF. And the woman, Saing Indama, that's his wife," he said.
The former congressman said Ikram Indama served as his personal driver for three years while he was still in office.
Salapuddin said his former driver does not have connection with the Abu Sayyaf although there is a possibility that he (Ikram Indama) has relatives with the bandit group.
He suspected that Ikram Indama could have been lured into the group because of “his experience and access inside the House of Representatives.”
He said: "They might have used Ikram as a bridge. Because, number one, he was working as my driver for three years. He knows all of Manila's streets. He has an ID."
Spectacular breakthrough
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. hailed the police raid on a suspected Abu Sayyaf lair in Payatas, calling it "spectacular" as police investigators moved rapidly to solve bomb attack at the House of Representatives.
He said the reward money put up by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and members of the House have led to the spectacular breakthrough in the Batasan bombing investigation of the police.
At the same time, de Venecia revealed he has received an "outpouring of sympathy and condolences" from governments and parliamentary leaders in Asia, Europe, and North America following the deadly Batasan bomb explosion.
During a breakfast meeting at Malacañang Friday, de Venecia thanked the President for putting up P5 million in reward money, as police sifting through the debris found clues that may have established a link to three Abu Sayyaf suspects shot dead by police operatives.
Quezon City second district Representative Annie Susano offered another P2 million and House members, following a resolution filed by Manila Representative Benny Abante, contributed a total of P1.2 million for the early resolution of the attack that police theorized could have been meant for Akbar.
The Speaker congratulated the police and military for the early resolution of the case.
Meanwhile, President Arroyo ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to strictly enforce existing laws on the possession of explosives following the blast that rocked the Batasan complex.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the President also called for an end to speculations on who the mastermind was and the motives behind the attack, adding that the public should wait for the PNP to issue its final report.
Following the explosion, Arroyo has renewed her calls to make possession of illegal explosives non-bailable, and has sought the help of several sectors in asking Congress to speed up the passage of such a bill.
Bunye said Arroyo has commended the Armed Forces and the PNP for the raid in Payatas, which resulted in the death of three alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf and the seizure of equipment similar to those used in the Batasan bombing.
The President said the raid “provided a significant breakthrough in the Batasan blast investigation.”
Bunye said Arroyo also commended the informants who tipped off the authorities.
A mass was held in Malacañang early Friday morning in honor of those who died at the Batasan, including Akbar. It was attended by a number of congressmen but was not open to the media for coverage. (JMR/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (November 17, 2007 issue)
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