Captured Sayyaf men point to Akbar as blast target - Razon

(Updated 11:58 p.m.) The three suspected Abu Sayyaf members captured in Quezon City are providing investigators vital information on the deadly explosion at the Batasan complex that bolsters police theory that the blast was a kill plot on Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar, the National Police top brass said on Saturday. PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr on Saturday said the information provided by the three bolstered police theory that the blast was a kill plot on Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar. Razon, however, declined to elaborate on the issue. Akbar was one of four people killed in Tuesday’s blast at the Batasan complex in Quezon City. At least 12 others, including Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Henry Teves, were injured. “Meron tayong nakuhang information sa kanila. Very cooperative ang tatlo sa ating investigation (We have taken information from them. They have been very cooperative in our investigation)," Razon said in an interview on dzRH radio. Razon said police investigators are now piecing together the statements, and matching them with the physical evidence gathered from the House of Representative’s south wing entrance where the explosion occurred to build a strong case against the perpetrators. The three suspected Abu Sayyaf members - Khaidar Awnal, Ikram Indama and Adham Kusain - were captured in Thursday’s shootout at a Quezon City residential area. Three other alleged Abu Sayyaf members were killed in the incident. In a separate radio interview, Razon said investigators have so far not gathered any evidence to bolster Ilagan’s claim that she was the target of the blast because she supported an impeachment bid against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. “Ang allegation ni Rep. Ilagan wala kaming basis para suportahan ang kanilang assertion (We have so far not found any basis to bolster Ilagan’s assertion)," Razon said in an interview on dzBB radio. Earlier, Batasan complex security guards have identified two of three suspected Abu Sayyaf members – Indama and Kusain – as being in the area when the blast occurred. Indama was a former driver of former Basilan Rep. Gerry Salapuddin. In the interview, Razon said the PNP is now considering turning one of those arrested into a state witness, depending on who is the “least guilty." Meanwhile, three suspected Abu Sayyaf members linked to the Batasan blast and killed in a shootout with authorities in Quezon City last Thursday were buried before dawn Saturday. Radio dzBB reported that it took the intervention of a government official before a funeral parlor released the remains of the three to their relatives. The report said the relatives of the three went to the Prime Funeral Parlor to claim the bodies of their loved ones at 8 p.m. Friday. But the funeral parlor refused to release the bodies, saying they still had not paid some P6,000 in “balance." An official from the Office of Muslim Affairs intervened and the funeral parlor eventually agreed to release the bodies, which were buried before dawn Saturday. Muslim tradition requires that the remains of a person be buried within 24 hours after death. JDV, Villar meet on Congress security As this developed, Speaker Jose de Venecia said Saturday the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force security contingent at the complex should be placed under the “operational control" of the House of Representatives and the Senate. De Venecia said that he had a meeting with Senate President Manuel Villar during which the two leaders agreed on this security setup both for the House and the Senate. “It is absolutely necessary that we ensure the security of each chamber and their members," De Venecia said. The two leaders agreed during the meeting to have the security arrangements for the House and the Senate “tightened and closely coordinated." Tuesday’s attack, which killed four people and wounded 13 others, caught authorities by surprise and sparked calls for a review of the Batasan security procedures. A police contingent is assigned at the House, which has its own internal security contingent headed by the office of the Sergeant-at-Arms. - GMANews.TV