MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Justice (DoJ) approved on Thursday the filing of criminal charges against the suspect in the 2010 Bar examination blast.
In a 21-page resolution, the recommendation made by Prosecution Attorney Gerard Gaerlan to file multiple frustrated murder, multiple attempted murder and illegal possession of explosive against Anthony Nepomuceno has been approved by Prosecutor General Claro Arellano.
“After a careful evaluation of the records of this case, the investigating prosecutor finds probable cause to indict respondent,” Gaerlan said in his resolution.
Nepomuceno was positively identified by several witnesses who saw him threw a package at the crowded area of the De La Salle University.
The DoJ said the evidence presented by Nepomuceno was not enough to contradict the positive identification of the witnesses.
Nepomuceno claimed that he was far away from the location of the explosion. As proof, he presented a photocopy of a receipt issued by an automated teller machine of Metrobank, Baranka, Marikina branch.
But the prosecutor said Nepomuceno failed to prove that he owned the account and that the time and date indicated in the receipt was Sept. 26, 2010 at 7:49pm while the explosion occurred at around 5:10p.m.
“Cleary, there is at least two hour window from the commission of the crime and the issuance of said receipt. Considering that the scene of the crime is at Taft Avenue, Manila, which is more or less twenty kilometers away from Baranka, Marikina, then it is not physically impossible for the respondent to be at the scene of the crime when the crime was committed because his alibi of being in Marikina City happened only two hours after the crime was committed,” the DoJ said.
The incident occurred on the last day of the Bar examination where law students flocked the streets outside DLSU during the traditional “salubong” to meet their schoolmates, fraternity brothers and sisters who took the exam.
More than 40 students were injured including Ma. Antonia Raissa Dawn Laurel of San Sebastian College whose both legs were amputated; Joanna Katrina Ledda of San Beda College of Law whose left leg was amputated and Datu Muhammad Abdul-Rahim Sinsuat Ampatuan from Arellano University School of Law.