Arrest order out vs ex-Basilan gov, 3 others in House blast
By Joel Guinto, Tetch Torres, Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:40:00 04/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Arrest warrants have been issued by a local court against former Basilan Representative Gerry Salapuddin and three others over last year’s explosion at the Congress building where at least five people, including a lawmaker, were killed.
In his order, Branch 83 Judge Ralph S. Lee of the Quezon City regional trial court ordered the arrest of Salapuddin, Police Officer 1 Bayan Judda, Hajarun Jamiri and Benjamin Hataman.
The four are facing multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges, non-bailable offenses.
The arraignment of all the accused will be on Wednesday. Another hearing will be held Tuesday on Salapuddin's motion to quash the arrest warrant.
Killed in the blast on Nov. 13, 2007 were Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar, Salapuddin’s political opponent; Marcial Taldo, driver of Gabriela Partylist Representative Luzviminda Ilagan; Akbar's staff Julasiri Niki Huyudini; and House employee Maan Gale Bustalino.
Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office Chief Geary Barias said he has yet to receive a copy of the order but said that their units would serve the warrant.
Asked how police would arrest Salapuddin, considering his position,
Barias said: "Being a former governor and congressman, I believe they [suspects] might as well present themselves to authorities."
"The best advice would be for them to surrender and present themselves before the courts," Barias told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.
But Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said the four were "now the subject of the operation particularly by the CIDG [Criminal Investigation Detection Group]. These warrants are being served at their last known addresses."
Three other suspects -- Ikram Indama, Adham Kusain, Khaidar Awnal -- have been arrested following an operation in Quezon City, where several bomb components and clues to the motorcycle where the bomb had been attached were found. They have since been detained at a highly secured detention in Camp Crame.
Bartolome said the PNP was ready for possible encounters while serving the arrest warrants, amid reports that the suspects had private armies.
"Tayo ang authorities dito [We are the authorities here] and we are just implementing the legitimate warrants issued by the courts. PNP will be serving the warrants even if there will be some reports that would say that there are armed supporters," said Bartolome.
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