Troops recover another bomb allegedly to be used also for Akbar

By Ronron
November 21, 2007

Joint Army and police operatives recovered late Tuesday evening in Manila City a bomb that was to be used also to carry out an earlier alleged assassination plot against Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar.

Police said the bomb recovered from an apartment on No. 2065-D6 Leveriza Street in Malate past 9pm was allegedly going to be used to attack Akbar last October 23 in Sulo Hotel in Quezon City.

This was allegedly the claim of former Tuburan, Basilan Mayor Hajirun Jamiri, who was nabbed last Monday afternoon in Malate initially for illegal possession of firearm. Eventually, authorities learned he has participation in the November 13 bombing at the Batasan complex where Akbar and three others died.

“He (Jamiri) mentioned that there is another bomb to be used on Akbar at the Sulo Hotel on October 23. But Akbar did not show up so the assassination plot did not materialize… He said they have to hide the bomb because it was not used anyway,” Director Geary Barias, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said in a news conference yesterday at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Barias did not mention the real motive for the plot against Akbar as cited by Jamiri except the latter’s admission that he was allegedly promised a 500,000-peso reward by Redwan Indama. It is known, however, that Jamiri and Akbar are political rivals in Basilan.

Redwan Indama was among the three suspects killed during a raid last November 15 in Payatas, Quezon City. The other two were his wife, Saing, and Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Jandal. It was during the same operations that three other suspects to the Batasan bombing – Ikram Indama, Kaidar Aunal and Adham Kusain – were nabbed.

Barias said Jamiri was successfully traced by investigators based on the information provided by the three nabbed suspects.

During the investigation, Jamiri allegedly provided the authorities information as to the exact location of the bomb.

The bomb was found by authorities kept in a hole below ground level, submerged in water, and covered by a steel cabinet. The bomb, contained in a tin can, was wrapped with plastic bag.

At around 11:30 pm, it was defused at the Quirino Grandstand, which led to the discovery of its make-up – some three kilos of suspected TNT (trinitrotoluene), nails (as sharpels), and booster charge.

“This was designed as an anti-personnel explosive device,” Manila Police District (MPD) Explosives and Ordnance Division (EOD) head Chief Insp. Ramon Pranada said in the same news conference.

Based on his initial assessment, the recovered bomb could leave a damaging effect similar to the Batasan incident.

MPD Criminal Investigation Unit head Supt. Joaquin Alva said the bomb was planned to be placed inside the motorcycle that was recovered last Tuesday evening at the Don Pepe’s Inn in San Andres Street, Malate.

The motorcycle, with plate number JM-9955, was seized from Halik Usman, a former security aide of Jamiri who was found inside the inn. Initial check on the vehicle showed it was positive for nitrates.

Pranada demonstrated yesterday how the bomb was supposed to be placed under the seat of the motorcycle.

Alva said that it appears now that there were a total of three plots against Akbar – one at Sulo Hotel, another one at his residence in Valle Verde, Pasig City, and the last one at the Congress itself.

Quoting Jamiri, Alva disclosed that the recovered bomb was allegedly prepared by Redwan Indama and Abu Jandal, who were also responsible for the bomb that was used at Batasan.

Asked why would the suspects make another bomb for the Batasan operations when they could have just used the one intended for the October 23 plan, Alva said: “It appears that they just want to make sure because it is quite difficult to position the bomb at their respective targets. So, if example one bomb was discovered, then they have a reserve. That is why they used different colors of motorcycle also.”

Alva, however, was not immediately aware as to when the bombs were prepared and whether or not both were made at the same time.

Meanwhile, despite the admission of Jamiri, police could not immediately say what additional charges could be filed against Jamiri. Barias said it is even possible that Jamiri can turn into a state witness.

So far, Jamiri has reportedly not implicated former Basilan Rep. Gerry Salappudin and Anak Mindanao Party-list Rep. Mujiv. Hataman in the incident. The two had already denied participation in the incident.

On Monday, police has filed criminal charges before the Department of Justice against the three arrested suspects and other personalities, including a relative of Hataman, identified as Benjamin “Jang” Hataman, who was implicated by Ikram Indama./DMS