MPD cop’s slay linked to Quiapo blasts?

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District (MPD) is trying to determine if the killing of a policeman in Paco, Manila on Monday night is related to the Quiapo bombings, a source said yesterday.

“Investigators are looking if the death of Police Officer 2 Abdul Jabbar Alonto could, in any way, be connected to the twin blasts. So far, we have no concrete evidence but we are going in that direction,” the source, an intelligence officer at the Manila Police District (MPD), told The STAR.

Alonto was driving his green Toyota Vios (ZSF-174) when two men on a motorcycle blocked his path and shot him at the corner of Apacible and Penafrancia streets shortly before 6 p.m.

The victim’s relatives told investigators they are not willing to cooperate in the investigation and, in deference to their religion, wished to have Alonto’s body taken to his hometown in Marawi and buried within 24 hours.

MPD homicide section chief Senior Inspector Rommel Anicete, however, refused their request to give them the victim’s personal belongings “because this is a case involving our personnel.”

A command conference was called yesterday and officials discussed the incident, but the topic immediately shifted to the Quiapo bombings, an official told The STAR.

The source said they are looking into reports that Alonto, a son of a retired police official, had links to lawyer Nasser Abinal, president of the Imamate Islamic Center and reported target of the May 5 bombings that left two dead and six others wounded.

“There are some questions we need to be answered, including if there is possibility that Abinal could have ordered the bombing himself,” the source said, referring to reports that the lawyer had been “consistently inconsistent during the investigation.”

He said the police are not discounting the possibility that the supposed victim could have also ordered the bombing to gather funds from abroad or to muster sympathy.

Replaced

Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde removed Superintendent Santiago Pascual III as Quiapo station commander and replaced him with Superintendent Tomas Ibay, who is more familiar with the area.

“Pascual and Ibay swapped assignments. Pascual will be the station commander of Moriones,” he said. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe