 DAVAO CITY -- A government prosecutor justified Friday the release from prison of two suspects in the twin bombings that rocked Davao City in 2003, saying there was no miscarriage of justice in such a move. Prosecutor Augusto Gonzales of the City Prosecutor's Office (CPO) said the court ruling ordering the release of suspects Abdul Manap Mentang and Abdul Rahman Camile will remain and will not be reversed. "We have given the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) in Metro Manila 40 days to present the authentication of the evidence against the new four suspects, but they failed to do so," Gonzales said. The pieces of evidence to be authenticated include the alleged recorded admission of Mentang to a GMA-7 reporter and cameraman that he masterminded the powerful explosions that rocked Davao City International Airport and the Sasa Wharf on March 4 and April 2, 2003 and which killed 40 people and injured 170 others. | "I dunnit, and I'm glad!" |
In an earlier interview, City Prosecutor Raul Bendigo said based on Section 1, Rule 13 of the Rules of Court, pieces of evidence like photographs, taped or videotaped interviews are not admissible in court unless authenticated by the one who took the record or the photographs. "We have requested the ISAFP to authenticate the evidence but they failed to do so," Bendigo said.| "C'mon, it was lunchtime and we had to pick up our drycleaning!" |
He said there is no case filed against the new set of suspects identified as Mentang, Camile, Daud Guinaid and Rio Dimson Managat before the prosecutor's office while there is a complaint against the original five suspects. The first batch of suspects facing two criminal cases for multiple murder with frustrated multiple murder charges are against Esmael Mamalangkas, Esmael Akmad, Ting Idar, Tohame Bagundang, and Jimmy Balulao. All five denied the allegations during their separate arraignments. | "Nope, not us. You had us mistook for troublemakers. Musta been some other guyz..." |
The two sets of suspects baffled the RTC as to who will face court trial, but RTC Branch 12 Judge Paul T. Arcangel on Friday ordered the release of Mentang and Camile for insufficient evidence. Only Guinaid and Managat are still detained. The five original suspects were arrested in Cotabato City in April 2003. Mentang and Guinaid were arrested in separate raids by the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) in Metro Manila in October 6 and 7 last year. Camile was arrested in Panabo City on November 13 last year. Managat was arrested on November 15, 2004 in Asuncion, Davao del Norte. The remaining seven suspects are still detained at the Maa City jail. |