March 6, 2008
 
Almost four months after the death of Basilan Governor Wahab Akbar on November 13, 2007,  government lawmen are still struggling to collar the real killers. There were suspects including former Congressman Gerry Salapuddin and Partylist Cong. Mujiv Hataman, but were they the real killers or masterminds? Six persons including Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar, were killed in the deadly Batasan blast. Five of the fatalities were employees of the House: Marcial Taldo; Jul-Asiri Hayundini; Maan Gale Bustalino; Dennis Manila and Vercia Garcia.

Wounded in the attack were Negros Oriental Rep. Henry Teves, Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan and three other House employees.
 
Whether Hataman and Salapuddin are guilty of the death of Akbar is the real purpose of the filing the case against them.
 
However, immediately after the deadly blast, a reporter of Luwaran based in Manila already received a very reliable report that one political leader in Central Mindanao, who begged off anonymity, was warned that he and Governor Akbar were the object of an assassination plot engineered by a powerful Moro politician. Said leader, fearing to be misunderstood by Akbar, informed a powerful man close to the corridors of power to instead relay the warning to Akbar. That was about a week before the blast. When inquired of the warning after the blast, whether relayed or not, the powerful man replied, “He forgot”.
 
The source said the motive behind the killing was political. Akbar was proved an ambitious politician. He did not hide his intention to become leader outside of his province, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
 
Meantime, the arrest order for the suspects was issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Ralph Lee after Salapuddin and suspects Harajun Jamiri, Benjamin Hataman and Bayan Judda failed to attend a scheduled arraignment.
 
The four were earlier added as suspects in the amended information submitted by government prosecutors.
 
However, both the camps of Salapuddin and Hataman denied a warrants of arrest were issued against their leaders, saying the reports were not only “unfair” but also “inaccurate”.
 
Anak Mindanao Party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman, who was earlier implicated in the Batasan bombing, said he feels vindicated that the Department of Justice cleared his name on this unfortunate incident that brought so much pain to his family and Basileños.
 
“I just hope that our authorities will respect the rights of the accused who remain innocent. Let their constitutional right to due process be observed,” he said.
 
He added that law enforcers should refrain arresting “fall guys” just to show that they are doing their job, and that they dig deeper into the case.

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