Arrested suspects in foiled Naia car bombing face raps

Video by INQUIRER.net’s Ryan Leagogo

MANILA, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday filed a criminal complaint against three persons arrested while attempting to detonate a car bomb at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

Included in the complaint are Grandeur Pepito Guerrero, Emmanuel San Pedro and Sonny Yohanon. They are facing a complaint for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1866 as amended particularly Section 3 for unlawful manufacture, sales, acquisition, disposition or possession of explosives and Section 28 (b) of the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition for unlawful acquisition or possession of firearms and ammunition.

Based on the complaint, the NBI received intelligence information last July about terror and destabilization activities being plotted by a group called USAFFE.

Considered as an ultra-rightist group, the USAFFE claims to be “defenders of the Filipino people” and considers China and “oligarch Taipans” who are engaged in monopolistic business its arch enemies.

A source informed the NBI’s Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) that the group would meet at the Naia Terminal 3 parking at 12 a.m. of September 1 when the improvised explosive device (IED) would be given to assigned bombers at the SM Mall of Asia.

The three car bombing suspects during inquest proceeding at the DOJ. CATHY MIRANDA/INQUIRER.net

The NBI proceeded to the airport and found the white Toyota Revo with license plate number WMK 129. There, they found Guerrero, who, however left on foot leaving the two others at the vehicle. After confirming the information and seeing the explosives, they arrested San Pedro and Yohanon. Then, they drove the Toyota Revo with Yohanon and San Pedro and followed Grandeur and arrested him along Mantrade, Pasong Tamo Extension.Confiscated were four sets of IEDs—prohibited firecrackers with wicks taped to a plastic bottle full of gasoline, a .38 caliber, special royal scout revolver with no serial number and loaded with five live ammunition and cellular phones.

During the inquest proceeding, the lawyer of the three suspects Oliver Lozano insisted that the three were fall guys and pointed to a certain Norberto Barangga as the one who should be prosecuted.

But Assistant State Prosecutor Aristotle Reyes said their defense should be included in a counter-affidavit.

All the three accused agreed to sign a waiver of detention as a condition for the conduct of a preliminary investigation instead of immediately filing the case in court.

Waiver of detention means the suspects will waive their rights under Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code where a public officer, in this case, the NBI shall be held liable if they fail to file a case in court against the three within a particular period.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said the NBI was still investigating further to determine if they could be charged with conspiracy to commit terrorism.

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