Basilan politics eyed in bombing
By Alcuin Papa, Arlyn dela Cruz
Mindanao Bureau
Last updated 01:55am (Mla time) 11/15/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- By virtue of his “color,” Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar was the likely target of the bomb that exploded on Tuesday night, the Philippine National Police said Wednesday.

PNP Director General Avelino Razon said at a press conference that among the lawmakers who were at the exit of the south wing of the House of Representatives on that night, Akbar was the “most colorful.”

“We are considering the proximity [of the bomb to its victims]. And from among the group, Representative Akbar had the most color,” said Razon, using a police intelligence term. “As far as threats are concerned, he was the most colorful considering what is happening in Basilan.”

Akbar, 47, was a former member of the Abu Sayyaf who later turned against the extremist group and helped the government in the campaign against it.

But Razon also said the PNP was considering other angles. “We are not totally saying he is the only target,” he said, adding that investigators were still ascertaining the supposed threats on Akbar.

Directional

Director Geary Barias, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, likewise said Akbar was the “likely target” of the attack because of his position relative to the bomb.

Asked whether the explosion was a terror attack, Barias said: “It looks like an attack, and the possible target is Akbar.”

But Romulo Asis, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Terrorism Division, said that while the powerful explosion was “directional” and “controlled,” it was premature to say that Akbar was the target.

“There is still no evidence to prove that he was the target; it’s too soon to say that. Although he (Akbar) was the hardest hit, we have yet to determine if the explosive was really intended for him,” Asis told reporters, adding:

“[The bomb went off] in his direction, but it could also be a coincidence: It happened that he was just there.”

Politics

In Isabela City, Akbar’s kin expressed the belief that he was the actual target. But they said they would not speculate on who was behind the attack.

Isabela Mayor Cherrylyn Akbar, one of the lawmaker’s four wives, said her husband’s death had something to do with politics.

“But we want to think first and assess the situation. We will issue a statement later on,” she said.

Chris Puno, Akbar’s spokesperson and information officer of the Basilan provincial government, said he could not think of any other target than his boss. “The bomb was really intended for him,” Puno said, adding that politics was the most likely motive.

“We already have some suspects, but it’s not yet time to reveal their identities,” he said.

Unkaya Pukan Mayor Joel Maturan said the Akbar camp was also eyeing the possible role of the Abu Sayyaf in the attack.

“We already have an idea—politics and the Abu Sayyaf,” Maturan said. “Abu Sayyaf bandits could not have entered Congress if there was no politician behind them.”

Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar, the lawmaker’s first wife, said what had really hurt the family was the fact that her husband was killed in an area where the security was supposed to be tight.

“Why there? How come it happened there?” she asked.

Farouk Madjirul, Akbar’s most trusted bodyguard in Isabela, said the Akbar camp was still in mourning but definitely knew who was behind the explosion.

‘Personality-oriented’

Barias said the target of the attack could not have been the House as an institution: “If that were the case, the bomb would just have been left in one corner, with just the timing device and the explosive.”

He said the mere fact that the bomb was detonated by remote control indicated that there was a target.

“It’s personality-oriented because Representative Akbar seemed to be the closest to the bomb. The bombers could have waited until Akbar was close to the bomb before detonating [it],” Barias said.

Razon said there was “no basis” to say the explosion was part of a plot to destabilize the government.

Both he and Barias admitted that there were lapses in the security of the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City.

Barias said a flea market at the south wing lobby was “contributory” to the lowering of security in the area because it allowed people to come and go.

Senior Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula, director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said investigators had interviewed House Sergeant-at-Arms Bayani Fabie.

Gatdula quoted Fabie, a retired general, as saying that the House security force was “not so strict” with motorcycles “because most of the employees use motorcycles [to get to work].”

Motorcycle riders

A source from the QCPD, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) that two men riding tandem on a motorcycle were seen speeding out of the Batasan complex just before the explosion.

The source said operatives had been fielded to seek out the motorcycle riders.

The NBI’s Asis said the possibility that the explosion was a terror attack was not being ruled out.

He said NBI bomb experts and chemists had gathered fragments from the blast site.

“As of now, we have yet to establish the purpose of the attackers, and who was/were the target and other things. We cannot speculate,” said Asis. “We don’t want to issue premature or haphazard findings.”

Razon said the entire police force assigned to the Batasan complex, as well as the Senate complex in Pasay City, had been relieved and replaced with a company from the elite PNP Special Action Force.

He said that as a result of the explosion, the PNP in Metro Manila was on full alert, and, in other areas nationwide, on heightened alert.

Evidence

Razon also said the bomb had been planted on one of the motorcycles parked near the south wing entrance and activated by a cellular phone, parts of which were found around 15 meters from the blast site.

“We now have evidence of a bomb, the cell phone [as triggering mechanism], the pieces of nails used as shrapnel. We are still continuing our investigation,” he said.

Despite the claim of a certain Abdul Musaf that the Abu Sayyaf was behind the bombing, Razon said the PNP was not taking this “hook, line and sinker.”

Gatdula said investigators were zeroing in on the motorcycle, a Honda XRM 125, used to deliver the bomb.

“According to our post-blast investigation, the IED (improvised explosive device) came from one of the motorcycles because these were the ones parked near the area,” Razon said.

Gatdula said at least two motorcycles were parked in the area at the time of the explosion. Police have established that one of the motorcycles belonged to Cesar Padlan, a House cameraman.

The other motorcycle is now the subject of police investigation. “But the body number has been removed and the engine number tampered with,” Gatdula said.

He said police were able to get a barcode from the motorcycle, and were checking it with the manufacturer.

He also said police were examining footage from two closed-circuit television cameras near the blast site -- one pointed at the exit bay and another at the parking lot.

‘Sole power’

Even before the official medical confirmation of Akbar’s death on Tuesday night at the FEU Hospital in Quezon City, Puno, his spokesperson, was sending text messages and calling some members of the media to say: “It was, by all indications, an assassination attempt, and Wahab was the target.”

“He is the sole power here; the Akbars are the ones in control of Basilan. Alam mo na (You know), it’s a domino effect. There is somebody, he can pay, he can make this happen to Wahab,” said Puno, his voice high and tense.

Apart from Akbar’s first wife (the governor of Basilan) and second wife (mayor of Isabela), his relatives or allies are town mayors, according to Puno.

His third wife sought another mayoral post but lost. (His fourth wife is a Syrian.)

Wednesday morning, Puno was more circumspect in responding to the question of whether the Akbars had pinpointed the possible mastermind of the attack.

“No angle yet to blame anyone, although it could be someone who was his mortal enemy,” Puno said.

He refused to give a name, but said: “It’s an open secret here in Basilan.”

Political rival

One of the publicly known political opponents of Akbar in Basilan is former Rep. Gerry Salapuddin.

But he told the Inquirer: “We do not know what happened, or who did it. I am here living in silence in the province. I was not there when it happened. We can only assume that there are lots of angles here.”

In talking of possible angles, Salapuddin said he would not be surprised if his name was dragged into the supposed assassination of Akbar. In fact, he said, his allies in Basilan had warned him of this possibility.

“We are anticipating that fingers will be pointed at political rivals of Wahab,” Salapuddin said. “But the public should be reminded that Wahab was one of the founders of the Abu Sayyaf, and that he was also the one who betrayed them so he could save his own skin.”

Salapuddin was governor of Basilan when the Abu Sayyaf conducted its initial terror attacks and kidnappings.

At that time, Akbar was the Abu Sayyaf’s “preacher” who even fought in its first major encounter with Marine forces in Upper Kapayawan, Lantawan, Basilan -- the base of the group’s first major camp called Al-Madinah (gateway to heaven).

Salapuddin said there were other groups in Basilan who had a “silent grudge” against Akbar.

Strongest motive

But he added: “The Abu Sayyaf has the strongest motive. Imagine, after Wahab taught them jihad (holy war), it was he who would betray them, have them jailed, and even killed.” With reports from Julie Alipala, Charlie Señase, Richel Umel and Jeffrey Tupas, Inquirer Mindanao; Tina G. Santos and Jeannette I. Andrade in Manila

	1. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 17-11-2007 10:48 - Guest
	its impossible, BUT... It's hard to believe that the bomb was intended for Cong. Akbar. It's seems that by timing alone it is impossible.     However, there are reasons for us to be convinced that it was indeed intended for him. If i may be privilege to share my analysis, the Honorable Congressman was not used to be out of the island of Basilan. It was only when he became a member of the HOR that he had stayed away from his BALWARTE. So, in the HOR complex or in Manila he not invincible. He is prone to any harm that anyone may want to inflict upon him.     But the question is who did it against him?     I don't believe that his cababayan Honorable Jerry Salapuddin or Mujib Hataman is the mastermind because I had the chance to personally share some times with them. I had worked with Hon. Hataman with several activities of the ANAKBAYAN, in Mindanao and Manila. And also I had visited the office of Hon. Salapuddin when he was still the Majority Speaker for Mindanao in the HOR several times. In my conversations with them together with my group, the CIPYML Alumni, I can say or infer that they can't do such an evil act. They have no intention of causing such a chaos in the Congress and to their Homeland, Basilan. They are reform oriented leaders. They encourage seeking enlightenment as the most effective way of uplifting and developing our Region.     This things are merely brought to the attention of the media to confuse the public from the real target or plan behind the bomdbing.    Whether the late Hon. Akbar be the target or not, I firmly believe that the cause of his death is not due to the last election or any local political issues in their locality. There is much bigger apprehension that it is a well planned and well executed act of sabotaging the Nation at the expense of all the victims of the Bombing.     If it were not well planned, how can a bomb or elements or ingredients of any explosive device be brought inside the compound of Batasan. The security alone is very strict. I have worked in the congress for almost a semester and not a day that passed that i have observed that the security and safety measures their is not properly observed. Before you enter the gate a police officers frisks any person riding a motorcycle. For cars, they use a bomb detector. The police are very strict when it comes to motorcycle being drove inside the Complex. They request identification and asks for the purpose of visit.     to enable a bomber to plant a bomb withing or in front of the South wing building of the HOR complex is very impossible because the south wing is the most crowded area of the Batasan. All personnel and visitors pass through this wing. And their are securities all around because most of the vehicles of the Congressmen are parked in that area. It means their securities, aids and drivers are their. Thus, they can easily discover or caught any suspicious act.     So, enough of this elaboration. The bombing is simply executed by one who can freely enter the Complex without need of any frisk or inspection.     Now, I submit my opinion.

	2. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 18-11-2007 07:46 - Guest
	its impossible, BUT... atty adom. gawa karin ng article mo bro. then send mo sa This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved