Is Hidalgo the Colonel Torres?

The National Bureau of Investigation is now looking at the possibility that Henry Hidalgo, the alleged bomb maker who was killed Monday in an explosion at his Muntinlupa City house, could be the elusive "middleman" of a terrorist group responsible for the Dec. 30 bombings in Metro Manila.

NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco told reporters yesterday that he would be showing photographs of Hidalgo to the three bombing suspects who are now in their custody.

Wycoco also ordered that evidence taken at the Muntinlupa explosion be compared with those taken at the areas where bombs exploded on Dec. 30.

At least 20 persons were killed and at least one hundred people were hurt when bombs exploded at the Blumentritt station of the Light Rail Transit station, at the Plaza Ferguson in front of the United States Embassy along Roxas Boulevard, onboard a passenger bus along EDSA in Cubao, Quezon, in front of the Dusit Hotel in Makati City and at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Dec. 30.

Wycoco said the NBI will be pursuing a "long shot" theory that Hidalgo and the elusive "Colonel Torres," the alleged "middleman" between the bombings’ mastermind and persons who planted the bombs, are one and the same.

He said there is a chance that Hidalgo may be linked to the Dec. 30 bombings.

"Perhaps we can hit pay dirt. Until now, no one can give us an idea of who this Colonel Torres is, "Wycoco said. "So we’ll show them (witnesses) the pictures (of Hidalgo) and hope that they probably recognize him, and may even link him to the Dec. 30 incident," he said.

Meanwhile, the Camp Crame-based Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has taken over from the Muntinlupa police the investigation on Monday’s blast that killed Hidalgo.

"This is not an ordinary case," said Muntinlupa investigation division head Chief Inspector Lusito Bolival.

Hidalgo’s alleged terror activities came to fore after policemen found some 13 kilos of gun powder inside his house after the explosion. Also hurt in the blast was the 20-year-old nephew of Hidalgo who stays in the adjoining house in Victoria Homes, Tunasan, Muntinlupa.

"So far we have found no other evidence linking Hidalgo to the Dec. 30 explosions except the receipts," said Bolivar.

The receipts for the gun powder show that the materials were purchased days before Dec. 30 bombing. – Jose Aravilla