Priest heads probe panel on Davao blasts

President Arroyo has appointed a priest to head a fact-finding commission to investigate the allegations of complicity against resigned defense secretary Angelo Reyes and former military intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Victor Corpus in the Davao City bombings earlier this year.

Mrs. Arroyo named Davao City parish priest Fr. Pedro Maniwang as chairman of the commission with retired Davao City judge Anita Alfelor-Alabagan, Joji Ilagan-Bian and Naguib Sinarimo to respectively represent the business and Muslim sectors.

The President also appointed Justice Undersecretary Jose Calida to represent the government in the probe body.

The commission members told a press briefing yesterday that they have scheduled to invite the leaders of the Magdalo group led by Navy Lt. (sg) Antonio Trillanes IV for a hearing on Oct. 8.

On another hearing, set on Oct. 9, the committee said Reyes, Corpus and newly appointed Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita are scheduled to appear before the probe body.

The Magdalo group staged the July 27 mutiny to highlight their accusations of corruption in the government and the military establishment.

The rebel soldiers also demanded the resignation of Reyes and Corpus alleging they had a hand in the Davao City bombings to justify more military aid from the US.

A total of 38 people were killed and over a hundred others wounded in the bombing of Davao International Airport on March 4 and the Sasa wharf on April 2.

Authorities have blamed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which denied responsibility in the bombings.

Reyes and Corpus, for their part, also denied the allegations of complicity by the mutinous officers. Despite their denials, both officials resigned even after the mutineers were placed under court martial.

President Arroyo signed Administrative Order 84 last Sept. 18 giving the commission 30 days to complete its investigation and submit their findings and recommendations before her.

For his part, Fr. Maniwang said the members of the commission vowed to start the investigation on a "clean slate" and they will not "prejudge anybody."

Calida added they are hoping to come out with a credible report with Maniwang leading the investigation.

"(As a priest), Fr. Maniwang has a well-earned reputation and known for his probity, independence and fairness. His presence, his character is his best qualification. He is very much respected in the Davao community," Calida said.

The commission members expressed their satisfaction that members of the Davao community have been amply represented in the fact-finding board.

Pursuant to the President’s order, Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong formed a special secretariat for the commission and directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to assist the fact-finding body.

In a related development, the Davao regional trial court ordered Tuesday a reinvestigation on the multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder filed against six suspects in the blasts.

The court said the detained suspects — Emrad Gumanod, Esmael Mamalangkas, Esmael Akmad, Ting Idar, Tohame Bagundang and a 17-year-old — were not included in an earlier reinvestigation ordered by Davao RTC Branch 12 Judge Paul Arcangel against the MILF leaders who were also implicated in the charges.

The warrants for the arrest of MILF leaders, led by the late chairman Hashim Salamat, were suspended following Arcangel’s ruling for a reinvestigation of the case.

The warrants were suspended paving the way for the resumption of the formal peace talks between the government and the MILF in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The six suspects were supposed to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon but this was deferred anew following the order on a new reinvestigation to be conducted by the Regional State Prosecutors Office.

The suspects have also claimed in separate statements that they were illegally arrested and detained before they were forced to admit to carrying out the bomb attacks.

Assistant City Prosecutor Augusto Gonzales dismissed the allegations pointing out the suspects initially failed to state allegations of torture in their counter-affidavits.

"The allegations of maltreatment and torture are just that; the allegations unsupported by physical evidence. No medical certificates were presented," Gonzales said. – with Edith Regalado