PNP: We didn’t plant explosives on Indon

A Philippine National Police (PNP) official debunked yesterday claims by one of the three Indonesians arrested in Manila on suspicion of terrorism that police agents "planted" evidence in their luggage when they were held before departure at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last month.

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina said it was expected of the arrested foreigners to issue such claims because they are facing criminal charges in the country.

Espina added that apart from the charges for possession of components for explosives seized from them during their arrest on March 13, the three — Agus Dwirkana, Tamsil Linrung and Abdul Jamal Balfas — are also facing charges for violation of immigration laws.

Linrung had been quoted by Koran Tempo daily in Indonesia as saying that he himself saw a Philippine policeman putting several round marble-size objects containing a white powder inside his luggage. He said plainclothes officers had been waiting for his arrival with a video camera to record the luggage check when it happened.

"It was a normal remark for persons arrested for crimes of this nature. Certainly, the police will not plant evidence on them," Espina said.

PNP anti-terrorism Task Force Sanlahi commander, newly promoted Chief Superintendent Jaime Caringal, concurred with Espina’s views.

Caringal said he would look into how the foreign journalist was able to interview Linrung, who is detained in a heavily secured cell along with the two other Indonesians at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

He surmised that the three foreigners may have made contact with Koran Tempo when they were allowed to use cellular phones to communicate with their relatives in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The three Indonesians were suspected to be linked with Jemaah Islamiyah, a secret group believed to have links with Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network. They have posted P200,000 bail each for charges of illegal possession of explosive components filed before the Pasay Prosecutor’s Office.

Linrung has repeatedly denied he carried the materials, adding he and his two companions were on a business trip to the Philippines with a Thai businessman he identified as Doctor Prasan. It was Prasan who posted their bail.

Linrung also told Koran Tempo that their arrests were politically motivated and made at the behest of Indonesian officials.

Linrung, Dwikarna and Baltas are due to stand trial tomorrow on charges of violation of Philippine immigration laws. — Christina Mendez