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Witness tags Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity in DLSU blast


(Updated 11:01 p.m.) A man wearing a black polo shirt with three Greek letters printed on it was tagged as the one who planted the explosive device that went off near the De La Salle University campus in Manila Sunday afternoon, leaving 47 people, mostly students, injured. This was according to a witness who surfaced Monday to shed light on the incident that marred revelries associated with the last day of the Bar exams. A report on QTV's "News on Q" quoted police investigators as saying that the Greek letters seen on the suspect's shirt mean Alpha Kappa Rho, or Akhro in short. The witness, identified only as Joel, said the blast was caused by a grenade the suspect placed on the ground just as the Bar examinees were leaving the DLSU campus where the examinations were held. "May hinuhugot po siya sa bag niya. Pagkahugot niya nakita ko po yung granada, inaalis niya yung pin. Umupo po siya ng kaunti then nilapag niya yung granada. Bago po sumabog yun nakaalis na siya sa puwesto niya, nakatalon na," he told GMA News reporter Jun Veneracion in an interview. (He got something out of his bag. I saw that it was a grenade. He removed the pin and placed the grenade on the ground. He was able to get away from the grenade before it exploded.) He said they chased and caught the suspect, but was forced to back away when a supposed accomplice aimed a gun at them. An identification card found in the wallet that was left by the suspect during the commotion identified him as Jed Carlo Lazaga.

Frat war Joel's testimony bolstered suspicions that the violence was caused by two warring fraternities. The Supreme Court confirmed that the culprits have already been identified but refused to give details pending the result of the investigation. "From eyewitness accounts, immediately after the throwing, there was a chase. The one who threw the IED (improvised explosive device) was actually seen and was chased by some of the students in the area. There was a scuffle, but unfortunately he escaped. We have eyewitness’ accounts and we have turned this over to the investigators," Supreme Court administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said at a news briefing Monday. Marquez refused to identify the alleged perpetrators. "I cannot reveal yet [their identities]. They have been identified. There are faces already and we have eyewitnesses who saw the ensuing incident," he said. Marquez said an investigation by the Manila Police District and the National Bureau of Investigation still have to confirm the direct involvement of the persons implicated to the blast. Pillbox, Molotov, or grenade? Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has already ordered MPD officer-in-charge Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla to "drop everything and focus on identifying and arresting those behind the bombing incident." Rongavilla said the unidentified man who lobbed the explosive could have used a pillbox, a Molotov bomb or fragmentation grenade. He also said they are now in the process of collating more testimonies from various witnesses. "We have something to start on. We have witnesses who are willing to testify. We just have to place their testimonies in formal statements," he said. Experts from the Scene of the Crime Office (SOCO) said they have to wait for at least five days to determine the type of explosive used in the incident. Inspector Armando Macaraeg of the MPD homicide section theorized that the real targets were members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity who were near the group of the Alpha Phi Beta fraternity of the San Beda College. He said the explosive misfired at the group of San Beda students. Marquez, however, said there is still insufficient information to support such conclusion. He also dismissed speculation that the person who threw the pillbox was targeting students of a certain law school. "It's difficult to say whether it was intended for one [law school] only," he said. "Salubong" Most of the victims were believed to be well-wishers who packed the area for the traditional "Salubong" to greet and congratulate the Bar examinees. The Supreme Court has administrative supervision of the yearly Bar exams. Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales is the chairman for this year's examinations, which were held on the four Sundays of September. Marquez said that if it is proven that law students were behind the violence, they could be barred from entering the legal profession. "We will not give certificates of good moral conduct. [Without the certificates], they cannot enter the Bar," he said. Video footage showing bloodied victims and the chaos that ensued after the blast was shown to the media. Marquez said investigators have already been provided a copy of the video. Marquez declined to provide media a copy, saying he does not want to preempt the ongoing investigation. Chief Justice orders probe Chief Justice Renato Corona has condemned the violence and ordered a thorough investigation of the incident. "The Chief Justice has directed the Supreme Court Security, the MPD, and the NBI to look at all possible angles and identify the perpetrators of this senseless act of cowardice and bring them to the bar of justice," said a Supreme Court statement read by Marquez. He also said Corona has directed court officials to attend to the needs of the victim, one of whom — a 24-year-old female law student from San Beda College — had to have her left foot and hand amputated as a result of the blast. Marquez added that Corona ordered a review of security protocols during Bar examinations. Part of the review will include guidelines on the "Salubong." Marquez also relayed Carpio-Morales' message saying the incident will not affect the checking of the examination booklets and the release of the results. - with Sophia Regina Dedace/KBK/RSJ/HS, GMANews.TV
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