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Monday, November 19, 2007
3 men confessed to bombing: police chief
MANILA -- Police said Sunday they are set to file murder and other criminal charges against three suspected Islamic militants held in connection with the bombing of House of Representatives.
"Hopefully by tomorrow (Monday) we will be ready, with the assistance of the Department of Justice, to file charges against them," Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon told reporters.
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Razon said the suspects have all confessed and now face four counts of murder and multiple counts of causing serious physical injury.
The suspects, Ikram Indama, Kaidar Aunal and Adham Kusain, were arrested on Thursday when military and police agents raided an alleged northern Manila safe house of the Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf.
Three other suspects died in the raid, two days after a motorcycle bomb on the driveway of the nearby House of Representatives killed legislator Wahab Akbar and three congressional staff.
Indama is a one-time employee of former legislator Gerry Salapuddin, a local rival of Akbar, but Razon said the politician is not considered a suspect at the moment.
Indama is also alleged to have owned the motorcycle used in the bombing, the police chief added.
"They have not pointed to a mastermind but they all admitted to taking part in the attack. They also admitted that Congressman Akbar was their target," Razon said.
The Abu Sayyaf is a Muslim extremist group involved in various bombing attacks. Akbar was once a member of the group but later turned against them.
In a speech two months ago, Akbar denied any Abu Sayyaf links, calling the allegation "a lie told a thousand times" by the military, police, and his political enemies. But he admitted meeting with Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurajak Janjalani - who was killed in 1998 - while the two were in Libya and later in the Philippines.
Akbar said Janjalani's behavior was "not acceptable to my taste."
As Basilan governor in 2002, he welcomed US troops who trained Filipino soldiers battling the Abu Sayyaf. Over the years, the island was gradually transformed from a militant hotbed into a showcase of counter-terrorism success and humanitarian development.
Police said Salapuddin has sought police protection.
Salapuddin, a political rival of Akbar, made a formal statement to investigators Saturday to deny speculation that he was involved in the bombing because one of the three men in custody, Indama, was once his driver.
One of Akbar's wives defeated Salapuddin in a bid to become governor of Basilan in May elections.
"We will assess the reported threat to his life, and if in our assessment the threat is real, then we could extend security coverage," Razon said.
Razon said police are looking into political rivalry as a possible motive in the bombing, "although we are not turning our backs on other possibilities." (AFP/With AP/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (November 19, 2007 issue)
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