‘Bust bombers’ seek new probe

BANGUED, Abra — The lawyer of two alleged New People’s Army (NPA) amazons suspected of bombing the famed bust of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos in Benguet last December is asking for a reinvestigation of the multiple frustrated murder charges filed against them, citing major irregularities in the charges and discrepancies regarding their arrest.

Human rights lawyer Joselito Benedito formally requested Regional Trial Court Judge Charito Gonzales last Tuesday to launch a reinvestigation of the case against the defendants, saying the military has no strong evidence to back up the charges.

Benedito said the charges against Evelyn Bedana (earlier reported as Araceli Arciaga), alias Ka Rhoda, and Josephine Perez, alias Ka Loren, were not connected with the items seized from them.

Bedana and Perez were arrested last June 22 in Barangay Bakakeng Central in Baguio City.

Allegedly seized from them were a caliber .22 and caliber .38 revolvers, two pounds of C4, 12 pieces of non-electric blasting caps, one blasting device, one tester, two timing devices, two meters of M-700 time fuse, five meters of commercial detonating cord, and voluminous subversive documents.

"Dapat illegal possession of firearms and explosives ang kinaso," Benedito said.

He said the military filed frustrated murder charges against the two for allegedly taking part in the May 16 ambush of a military convoy, which included Lt. Col. Eduardo Gonzaga, 17th Infantry Battalion commander, in Lagangilang, Abra. Three soldiers were wounded in the attack.

Benedito, however, argued that no one among the military’s witnesses actually saw Bedana and Perez during the incident.

"They only culled from intelligence reports that the NPA, including the accused, were the ones who staged the ambush," he said.

"The problem is the hard copy of the intelligence report (is missing). Even assuming (that there is) an intelligence report, wala ring silbi yun kasi walang makapagsasabi na talagang nakita niyang sila ang nagplano (it would still be worthless because no one can really say if they planned the attack)," he added. — Artemio Dumlao