Jaworski pins car blast on political foes, drug lords

Pasig Rep. Robert "Dodot" Jaworski Jr blamed his political enemies and drug lords for the blast on Tuesday afternoon that wrecked the car he was riding. "This is politics. I don’t have enemies except in politics," Jaworski said in Filipino in a statement issued shortly after the blast. "If they think they can scare me, they’re mistaken. They’ve only made me more angry," added Jaworski, who will reportedly contest the post of Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio in the May 2007 elections. The lawmaker refused to identify who he thinks were behind the blast. Police reports noted that the incident happened at 1:45 p.m. along C-5 Road in Rodriguez Avenue, Barangay (village) Ugong in Pasig while the lawmaker and his younger brother, Ryan, were on their way home on board a silver Toyota Innova driven by security escort Romie Seles. Initial investigation said the Jaworskis and their driver were traveling when they heard what sounded like a blast from under the vehicle. Smoke then came out from the vehicle, forcing its occupants to jump off. Shortly after, a bigger blast totally destroyed the car. No one was injured in the blast. Jaworkski's political rivalry with Eusebio was heightened earlier this year after he called for an investigation against the Pasig mayor following the discovery last Febuary 10 of a veritable flea market for shabu and other illegal drugs in an area near the city hall. In a press conference later in the afternoon, Jaworski also blamed drug lords. "I don't have any enemies except in politics, and drug lords. It's saddening it has reached this point," said Jaworski. House Speaker Jose De Venecia also condemned the blast as a "criminal attempt" on the Jaworsk's life by "would-be assassins". "We condemn the criminal attempt on our colleague, Rep. Jaworksi. We are calling and asking the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct rapid and immediate investigation to arrest the would-be assassins," De Venecia said in a statement. Earlier, Pasig police director Sr. Supt. Francisco Uyami Jr. told dzBB radio that an electrical short circuit caused the explosion. In his press conference, Jaworski said he does not think it was merely caused by faulty electrical wiring, noting that the car was rocked by a blast before a fire broke out. "Just look at my car and see for yourself if that kind of damage is a result of faulty electrical wiring," the lawmaker said. Jaworksi also said a man approached him a few weeks ago who confessed that he was asked to hire a killer to get him. He said the man, whom he did not identify, submitted an affidavit to the NBI on the supposed plot to kill him. The lawmaker said he thinks a bomb could have been placed under the car while it was parked in a busy area in barangay Pineda in Pasig. Jaworksi’s brother Ryan also said in an interview that the lawmaker was receiving death threats since last week through the congressman's mobile phone. The younger Jaworksi said text messages threatened the lawmaker that he had only one week left to live. -With a report from Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV