Cops say Manila judge bomb's intended target

MANILA, Philippines - The placement of the bomb that exploded in the car of Manila Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. in front of his house in Taytay, Rizal shows that the judge is the intended target of yet unidentified attackers, police said yesterday.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Rolando Anonuevo said the bomb was placed to hurt the person in the backseat, where Pampilo usually sits.

 “It just so happened that the subject and his driver were late in boarding the vehicle when the bomb had already reached the designated elapsed time thus the explosion,” Anonuevo said.

He said they have not yet established who wants Pampilo dead and why.

Pampilo is the 19th Manila judge to receive death threats, Anonuevo said. Pampilo recently ordered the abolition of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group for usurping the functions of the Bureau of Customs.

He is also handling the extra-judicial killings case filed against former Army general Jovito Palparan, the cases involving First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and media men, and the sea tragedy involving an inter-island vessel where hundreds of passengers perished.

Pampilo has also recently ordered the three big oil companies to open their books for scrutiny based on the petition of the Social Justice Society.

Investigators said recovered pieces of evidence indicate that the bomb was a low-powered explosive.