USJR student off the hook in post-Bar blast

CEBU, Philippines – The law student of the University of San Jose-Recolletos (USJ-R) who was tagged as a suspect in the explosion during a post-Bar examination party in Manila last month can now breathe a sigh of relief.

Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima confirmed yesterday that Jed Carlo Lazaga is now off the hook after Wednesday's surrender of the principal suspect in the bombing in front of De La Salle University at Taft Avenue, Manila.

Anthony Nepomuceno, a member of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity, surrendered before Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Binay is the highest ranking APO official in the government.

Nepomuceno denied any involvement in the incident but De Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is holding strong evidence against him, including the two eyewitnesses.

"The investigation is still on going… The formal charges will be filed but we have to investigate further," said De Lima. She was in Cebu yesterday at the office of Regional State Prosecutor Fernando Gubalani and spoke before media and prosecutors. 

De Lima said she called Binay for help in finding the suspect. Binay had told her he would see what he could do.

She added that Binay asked the leaders of APO about Nepomuceno.

Nepomuceno is a 27-year-old former criminology student at Manuel L. Quezon University. He used to work as a call center agent.

Binay accompanied Nepomuceno to the DOJ, which in turn sent him to the NBI.

According to De Lima, there were two others who helped Nepomuceno in his escape after a lady witness shouted that he should be arrested.

The witness saw the suspect covering half of his face. She shouted that the one with the mask was responsible of the explosion. Four men then ganged up on Nepomuceno, exposing his face.

Authorities have yet to determine the motive of the attack.

Meanwhile, De Lima said Nepomuceno could not be arrested since formal charges have yet to be filed.

Lawyer Jonathan Capanas, dean of the USJ-R College of Law, said that Lazaga was a fall guy. Lazaga was in Manila as part of the school's bar operations team to support their graduates who were taking the examinations.

Capanas said that they are planning to file a case against the unidentified men who battered and arrested Lazaga, including the police who named Lazaga as suspect of the bombing.

He will also complain before the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Manila for showing the face and name of Lazaga without verifying.

He said there was malice in accusing Lazaga and immediately showing his face as the one responsible for the blast without investigating further. (FREEMAN)