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Saturday, November 24, 2007
House security cleared of Batasan blast liability
MANILA -- A legislator on Friday absolved its in-house security personnel of any administrative liability for the November 13 bombing at the Batasan complex that killed Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar and three others.
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Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez, a member of the three-man panel tasked by House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. to submit recommendations on the strengthening of security in the House of Representatives, admitted that they cannot pin down members of the Legislative Security Bureau (LSB) since the blast site in the South Wing Lobby was out of their manning areas.
“The jurisdiction is with the Philippine National Police (PNP) since it happened within the PNP jurisdiction. As of now we can’t pin down the responsibility on the in-house security,” said Golez.
Under the current security set-up, members of the PNP are manning the entrance gates of the Batasan complex while the LSB personnel led by House sergeant-at-arms Bayani Fabic are securing the inner part of the building.
PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. relieved all members of the Police Security and Protection Office (PSPO) who were on duty during the blast.
Special Action Force (SAF) policemen who originally replaced personnel of the Philippine Marines returned as perimeter guards of the Batasan complex, but now with LSB coordinated supervision.
Meanwhile, Golez and Muntinlupa Representative Ruffy Biazon called on the PNP chief to sanction PSPO members after determining their culpability in the bombing.
Golez said the PNP leadership “should investigate everyone and charge those directly responsible.”
“The Batasan blast is the worst failure ever in the PNP's history of protecting vital government installations and that is a black mark in their record,” he said.
Among those wounded in the blast were Representatives Henry Teves of Negros Oriental and Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela Women's party-list.
Biazon, vice chairman of the House committee on national defense, said while the PNP has relieved the PSPO contingent at the House and replaced it with SAF policemen, “so far there hasn't been a determination of who was at fault.”
“We have to determine the culpability of those securing the Batasan complex,” he said, stressing that sanctions can only be imposed after a through investigation.
Nueva Ecija Representative Rodolfo Antonino, Golez’s colleague in the panel, admitted that there was indeed a breach of security, which claimed innocent lives.
“Let us not monkey around. No matter what we say, we had a lapse in security, that’s why the incident happened,” Antonino explained.
He urged the public, however, to be more “patient” with tighter security because the most important thing is everybody’s safety.
Antonino said they would have wanted to put the PNP contingent under their “operational control” -- like what mayors in local government units do -- but revealed that such requires an amendment of the law.
“We need amendments to the Local Government Code, to include other establishments like the Senate and the House of Representatives,” said Antonino, who heads the House committee on public order and safety. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (November 24, 2007 issue)
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