DOJ mulls making captured Janjalani aide a state witness

Government lawyers are studying whether a captured aide of Abu Sayyaf overall leader Khaddafi Janjalani may be admitted as a state witness against the notorious terrorist band, Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said yesterday.

Perez said he is still awaiting the report of State Prosecutor Cielitolindo Luyun, director of the Witness Protection Program, to determine whether Abu Sayyaf bandit Mark Bolherin Gumbahale can turn state witness against his cohorts.

"I understand (Luyun) is still evaluating (the case). As soon as I have the report, I will know what to do with it," Perez said.

Government lawyers said that since turning state witness may involve granting criminal immunity to the 21-year-old Gumbahale, prosecutors will have to establish that he is the "least guilty" among his fellow bandits.

Police arrested Gumbahale, 21, on Oct. 17 in a Muslim community in Taguig for his alleged involvement in the 1999 kidnapping of almost a dozen tourists in the Malaysian resort island of Sipadan and the abduction of students and teachers in Lamitan, Basilan in 1999.

He is now detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Intelligence Group detention Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Under questioning, Gumbahale admitted his participation in the Dec. 30, 2000 bombings in Metro Manila that left 22 people dead and more than 100 others wounded.

Gumbahale told police he helped plant two of the five bombs that exploded in various busy places in the metropolis.

Police also questioned Gumbahale on the bus bombing in Quezon City that killed two people on Oct. 18.

However, intelligence officials also learned from Gumbahale that at least three Abu Sayyaf members arrived in Metro Manila from Sulu since Oct. 12.