PNP denies torture claim of Jamiri, maintains case against Salappudin, Hatamans remains strong

By Ronron
December 10, 2007

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday denied the claim of former Tuburan, Basilan Mayor Hajarun Jamiri that he was tortured while under police custody to point at former Basilan Rep. Gerry Salappudin, Anak Mindanao Party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman and that latter’s brother, Jim Hataman, as the mastermind of the November 13 bombing at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.

PNP chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. said he is “sure” the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will not hurt Jamiri because they are aware that “any evidence that is taken using torture or by force cannot be used in court, so our efforts to solve the case will just be put to waste if we do it.”

CIDG chief Dir. Edgardo Doromal said Jamiri could just be recanting his earlier statement “perhaps” to save his own skin.

While Razon could not provide any possible reason for Jamiri’s recantation, he acknowledged that it is really possible for suspects to do it.

Doromal categorically denied hurting Jamiri while he was under police custody from the time he was arrested on November 19 in Manila City until he was released December 3 after posting bail for the crime of illegal possession of firearm.

Asked how could Jamiri have sustained the injuries he showed through photographs, Doromal only said that for a while, Jamiri was not exposed to the media after his release from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

Razon, nonetheless, said that he has ordered an internal probe into Jamiri’s claim, saying “we cannot allow the use of torture and other illegal means to be incorporated in the investigation procedures of our policemen.”

“That is illegal,” Razon said.

Doromal, meanwhile, warned that the CIDG could charge Jamiri with perjury because of his recantation.

“If warranted, because he already gave his first statement, and now he is saying he was just tortured and forced to sign that statement, we might file perjury against him,” Doromal said.

For the meantime, Doromal said they will take the initial statement of Jamiri as it is. “His first statement will stay.”

But should it no longer be considered by the Department of Justice, Doromal said they are confident their case against Salappudin, and the other suspects, will remain strong.

Doromal pointed out that Jamiri is not in fact even a witness.

“He is one of the suspects also, he was part of the conspiracy. And we have three other suspects who were arrested (in Payatas, Quezon City on November 15), and they have corroborative statements with Jamiri’s first statement in fact,” Doromal said.

Razon, for his part, acknowledged that Jamiri’s recantation could provide a setback to the police investigation. But he said they will just double their effort to build up their case against Salappudin and the Hatamans, and the other suspects.

“We are not totally reversed (because of Jamiri’s recantation),” he said.

Quoting the statements of the accused under police custody, Razon reiterated that Salappudin and the Hatamans allegedly plotted the November 13 bombing to kill Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar, one of the five fatalities in said incident.

The motive is allegedly politics, but Salappudin and the Hatamans denied it./DMS