Salapuddin cries frameup in Batasan bombing

Former Basilan Rep. Gerry Salapuddin denounced yesterday what he perceives as an effort to frame him as the brains of the Batasan bombing last month which killed five persons, including Rep. Wahab Akbar, and wounded several others.

“Personally I’m still in a state of shock that I am being framed,” Salapuddin told reporters in an interview at a restaurant in Quezon City.

He said his lawyers would file their counter affidavit on Monday to refute allegations that he is one of the brains behind the Batasan bombing.

His legal team, headed by former Rep. Salacnib Baterina, will also ask for the examination of evidence presented by the Philippine National Police (PNP) which served as the basis for the charges filed against him at the Department of Justice.

“I am the usual suspect as the political rival of Rep. Akbar, but I am urging the police to look into the terrorist angle,” he said.

Salapuddin said he was wondering how his official plate number found its way into the alleged safehouse of the terrorists.

“I am asking why it got there. Somebody must have framed me. I will never give it to somebody who will bomb the House of Representatives where I served for nine years,” Salapuddin said.

He added that he never resorted to violence even in the darkest time of his political career when his rivals killed his family members.

He said he instead amicably settled with them to end the cycle of violence in the province.

Meanwhile, the House leadership and opposition colleagues of Anak Mindanao Rep. Mujiv Hataman vowed to provide him with legal assistance and bodyguards in connection with the charges filed against him for the alleged murder of Akbar.

House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor, who represents the House leadership, has been discussing with the opposition bloc, led by Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, on how to provide help to Hataman.

“Prudence dictates that he should protect himself. At present, Mujiv has two problems – legal and physical peril. We will assist him in terms of providing lawyers in his case before the Department of Justice,” Deputy Minority Leader Roilo Golez said. 

Hataman’s fellow party-list lawmaker, Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, earlier manifested before the plenary that Congress should help Hataman, in the same way that five militant lawmakers sought refuge in the House when they were charged with rebellion.

Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan – who was one of those injured in the Nov. 13 Batasan blast – also questioned the findings of the PNP, particularly after its admission that it only has 30 percent concrete evidence against the suspects.

“The investigation disregarded other possible angles that can determine the real motive of this act. The results are half-baked and generally based on confessions of the arrested suspects,” she said. – With Delon Porcalla