Batasan blast: Ex-solon, 3 others ordered arrested

MANILA, Philippines - Former Basilan Rep. Gerry Salapuddin and three others linked to the Batasan blast which killed a congressman and five congressional employees were ordered arrested Tuesday by a Quezon City court. The arrest order was issued by QC Regional Trial Court Branch 83 Judge Ralph Lee after the four failed to attend the arraignment of the case. Those ordered arrested were Salapuddin, Harajun Jamiri, Benjamin Hataman and PO1 Bayan Judda. The four were earlier added as suspects in the amended information submitted by prosecutors. The court said the four had ignored summonses sent to them. Salapuddin and six others were earlier linked by investigators to the deadly November 13, 2007 blast which killed killed Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar, congressional employees Marcial Taldo, Jul-Asiri Hayundini, Maan Gale Bustalino, Dennis Manila and Vercia Garcia. Wounded in the attack were Negros Oriental Rep. Henry Teves, Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan and several others earlier identified as congressional employees Ismael Lim, Kimhar Indanan, Larry Noda and Paula Dunga. During the arraignment, two of the three suspects in the bombing- Caidar Aunal, Ikram Indama and Adham Kusain - refused to enter a plea, forcing the court to enter a plea of not guilty for them. Of the three, only Indama - who was being eyed to become a state witness against the mastermind - lodged a not guilty plea. Earlier, Atty. Jose Ventura Aspiras, counsel for Aunal and Kusain, asked the court to defer the arraignment pending the appearance of the four other suspects led by Salapuddin. But Lee dismissed the motion, saying the four can be arraigned in another day and time. The Judge set the arraignment of the four new suspects and the pre-trial investigation against the first three suspects on April 8, 2008. Defense lawyers, however, protested Tuesday's arraignment, telling the court that they have a pending petition for review before the Department of Justice (DOJ). They added that the DOJ had issued a resolution only last February 29 so, technically, the defense still has 11 days of the 15 days given by state prosecutors for them to comment on the resolution. - GMANews.TV