Divisoria bombers face charges

Upgraded charges of homicide were filed against suspects in Wednesday night's Divisoria grenade blast following the death of one of the 49 persons wounded, but the alleged mastermind was released by the Manila prosecutor's office for further investigation.

A group of vendors blamed the police and city hall authorities for allowing the lucrative tong collected from vendors in the area, which was the root of the atrocity.

Initial charges of multiple frustrated homicide were upgraded yesterday to one count of homicide after the reported death of Allan Morfe, 23, married, an employee of a merchandising firm and resident of Pureza, Sta. Mesa, Manila. Doctors at the Mary Johnston Hospital said Morfe died at about 12:20 p.m. Friday from a shrapnel wound which cut a vital vein in his neck.

Facing charges and under custody were suspects Ricky Bayaban, Johnny Celino, Mario Frias and Abraham Tigpas. The alleged mastermind, SPO4 Arnold Ajesta, was released for further investigation by the inquest prosecutor.

Meanwhile, legitimate Divisoria traders expressed fears yesterday over a possible escalation of violence following reports that Ajesta's henchmen threaten to get back at the vendors who had testified against their boss.

Ajesta, 45, of the Western Police District's (WPD) Logistics Support Unit, is the alleged leader of a group that collects from P130 to P180 nightly from each vendor along the unused railroad spur on C. M. Recto Ave., near Tabora st., Divisoria.

The collection reportedly reaches P15,000 daily and is divided among police and barangay officials. "This racket has been going on for several years, yet no police official has dared to stop this corruption," a vendor who requested anonymity said.

The vendors named Ajesta's henchmen as his brothers Richard, Mario and Raymond and one alias Dodong. The vendors said the armed group collects from them and biyaheros from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Those who fail to give their "dues" for three straight days are physically driven away after their goods are scattered on the ground, according to the vendors.

They also suspect Ajesta has strong connections with some city officials since their numerous complaints have not been acted upon.

The grenade-throwing incident could not have happened if only policemen and city officials had moved to stop Ajesta's tong-collection, the vendors maintained.

Investigation showed Frias stabbed Marivic Constantino, 47, a vendor, during a heated confrontation while Celino served as lookout. The two suspects named one Roque Ropongga, as the grenade thrower. Ropongga reportedly fled to Cavite after the incident and is now the subject of a police manhunt.

Marivic, one of several children of oldtimer Divisoria stallholder Agustina Constantino, had convinced several vendors to stop giving "protection money" to Ajesta and his group, thus earning the ire of the latter.

During interrogation, Celino, one of Ajesta's henchmen, told investigators he contracted Frias, Bayaran and Ropongga to kill Marivic for P10,000.

The elder Constantino said Ajesta has an ax to grind against her family due to several charges she had filed against him, one of which is a graft case for the daily tong collected by Ajesta from Divisoria vendors. She also filed an immorality charge against Ajesta for cohabiting with one of her daughters, Ma. Agnes. She said, since then Ajesta started to threaten and harass them.