VOICE cracking and tears streaming down her face, Susan Lagbas on Monday declared she and her family can now move on and sleep well with the thought that finally, justice has been served.
“Mag-upat na ka tuig nadakpan ra gayud sila (It’s almost five years now and they’re finally arrested),” said the always emotional Susan, the widow of former Misamis Oriental board member Roldan Lagbas, among the six who perished in a blast at Lim Ket Kai Complex in Cagayan de Oro City on July, 2013.
"Sa pagkadungog ko na nadakpan sila, murag grabe gyud akong na-feel, nabuak akong kasing-kasing kay nakadumdom nasad ko sa nahitabo ug nibalik akong feeling ato nga time. Naa jud koy pagduda nga sila gyud to ang mga suspects, (When I heard that they were captured, I don't know what I'm feeling, my heart was broken once again, what happened in 2013 all came back to me. When they were captured, I had a strong feeling that Dongon is really one of the persons who did the bombing)," she said.
In an interview with SunStar Cagayan de Oro, Susan said the past four years were not easy, knowing that the persons responsible behind the bombing are still at large, and that they could attack and destroy another family.
"We the Lagbas family, are very thankful to the authorities for capturing Dongon. Mag-upat na katuig akong kapikas unya grabe gyud among luksa, nga dili mi mahiluna, labina ako ug iyang mga anak. (It's almost four years since my better half left in this world, and we have grieved for the long time, we are not at peace for the longest time, especially me and my daughters," Lagbas said.
Although the worse feeling came rushing back, Lagbas said they are now at peace, and will now start moving on.
A known basketball figure in the locality, Roldan Lagbas, 44, was just elected as Misamis Oriental provincial board member, a first termer who won his seat under the Padayon Pilipino banner in May 2013 elections.
"Mahiluna nami ug maka move on nami bisan karon dili pa kami kahimutang, ug usa sad akong kapikas na mahiluna na siya kay at least nadakpan ug nahibal-an na kung kinsa gyud ang nagbuhat ato sa iya (We can now move on, although there is still uneasiness, but the important thing is, my husband can finally rest in peace now knowing justice is served)." she said.
"Halos ikamatay na niya ang pagserbisyo sa katawhan unya ug sa dihang nakab-ot na niya ang kadaugan, nahanaw pud siya, he's never given the chance to serve the people (he almost died in serving the people, and when he got the chance to achieve it, he was also taken away)," Lagbas added.
Dongon, the suspected Abu Sayyaf member caught in Bohol with Superintendent Maria Christina Nobleza, deputy regional chief of Davao Crime Laboratory, is facing double murder with attempted murder charges at the Regional Trial Court Branch 23 under Judge Vincent Rosales.
The warrants are for the deadly blasts at Maxandrea Hotel on October 2012 and at Kyla's Bistro along Rosario Arcade, Limketkai Mall, on July 2013.
The Maxandrea hotel blast killed two people and wounded two policemen while the Kyla's Bistro explosion claimed six lives and injured 48 others.