Bombing charges vs ex-Sulu lawmaker, 6 others dropped

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Prosecutors have dismissed for lack of evidence the case filed against former Sulu congressman Munir Arbison and six others in connection with the bombing at the Zamboanga City Airport last Aug. 5 that was reportedly aimed at killing Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan.

In a nine-page resolution dated Oct. 22, a three-man panel led by state prosecutor Ricardo Cabaron junked the charges of multiple frustrated murder and illegal possession of explosives filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group against Arbison and his fellow respondents.

Two men purportedly carrying the explosive were killed in the explosion, which left 23 others, including Tan, wounded.

Police had tagged Arbison, former mayors Ahmad Nanoh and Najib Maldisa of the Sulu towns of Pangutara and Maimbung, respectively, as the main plotters of the bombing.

Police also implicated two sons-in-law of Arbison – Alganarham Adam and Musimar Alih – and Maulana Omar and Abdulmunir Hadjirul, former officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

In their resolution, the state prosecutors noted the failure and inability of the witnesses to point the exact date last July when Arbison, Maldisa and Nanoh allegedly hatched the bombing plot.

“(The witnesses’) memories are still fresh and yet they failed to do so which creates doubts as to the credibility of their testimonies as well as their being witnesses to the conspiracy,” the resolution read.

The prosecutors added that the evidence against the respondents hinged on conjectures or suspicions and could not be considered “as evidence no matter how strong and reasonable.”

The respondents submitted evidence, both testimonial and documentary, that directly controverted the witnesses’ claims, the panel said.

Arbison lauded the prosecutors’ resolution, saying they are thinking of filing counter charges.

He urged the authorities though to dig deeper into the case to unmask the real masterminds.