DOJ files possession of explosives raps vs. Spanish terror suspect

The Department of Justice has filed charges for illegal possession of explosives against the 20-year-old Spaniard, suspected to be a terrorist and arrested by the military in January.

In an eight-page resolution dated February 8, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong and Assistant State Prosecutor Rodan Arrocha said they found probable cause to charge Abdelhakim Labidi Adib for three counts of violation of Section 3 of Presidential Decree No. 1866, as amended by Section 1 of Republic Act No. 9516.

The law penalizes the unlawful manufacture, sales, acquisition, disposition, importation or possession of an explosive or incendiary device.

The charges have been filed before the Regional Trial Court of the 9th Judicial Region in Isabela City, Basilan.

State prosecutors found that Adib’s denial of the complaint against him could not "outweigh” the witness' declarations that grenades and an electric blasting cap were found and recovered from him.

“Respondents’ denial is a weak defense and cannot prevail over positive declarations of complainant’s witnesses,” the DOJ resolution said.

They also said that the 20-year-old’s “stories about his tour in Davao City and CDO; his escapades with Abuzaid; and his visit to the Yakan tribe in Basilan, are unbelievable,” especially since Basilan is “internationally known to be a turn of the Abu Sayyaf group.”

The DOJ also found that Adib’s arrest and the recovery of the seized items from his person are “justified,” since jurisprudence purportedly provides that checkpoints are not illegal per se and may be allowed and installed by government if people’s lives and safety are in peril.

Adib, a Spanish national of Tunisian descent, was arrested in Basilan on January 22.

Two days later, the Armed Forces of the Philippines filed a complaint against him, saying it seized from him two grenades, various improvised explosive device components, various identification cards and cash amounting to P8,520.

“Adib is a known Abu Sayyaf sympathizer and ardent supporter for the establishment of Islamic caliphate in the Philippines,” the complaint stated.

A week later, Adib asked the DOJ to dismiss the criminal complaint against him, claiming he had nothing to do with the improvised explosive device components and hand grenades allegedly found on his person.

He had said he was only in the Philippines as a tourist, but the military found he was an overstaying foreigner as his visa had expired on December 8 last year.

Adib, in denying the charge against him, added that the arresting officers planted the items that were allegedly seized from him.

He also argued that the allegation of his being a sympathizer of the Abu Sayyaf group and a supporter for the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in the country were “baseless.” —NB, GMA News