Court clears Salapuddin in Batasan blast

MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Regional Trial Court has cleared former Basilan congressman Gerry Salapuddin of charges in the Batasan complex bombing last Nov. 13 that killed Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar and three other employees and wounded several others.

Quezon City Judge Ralph Lee excluded Salapuddin from the multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges based on the motion of the Department of Justice (DOJ), which claimed to have not found probable cause to indict Salapuddin for the case.

“There being no legal impediment to the motion to exclude former Rep. Salapuddin from the amended information on the multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder and with the DOJ seeking the exclusion of the said person, the same is hereby granted, and the warrant issued against him is recalled and rendered ineffective,” stated the six-page order.

Atty. Joventino Diamante, Salapuddin’s legal counsel, said that although his client was happy with the decision of the court, the former lawmaker also expressed his sympathies to the families of the victims.

“This is a triumph of justice and the former deputy speaker is happy that he is finally vindicated by no less than the court trying the case,” Diamante said. “While he is grateful for the dismissal of the case against him, he would like to express his deep sympathy to the families of the victims of the tragic incident at the Batasan complex.”

The DOJ filed a motion to withdraw the information against Salapuddin after prosecutors excluded him from the charges.

The Quezon City court earlier ordered the arrest of former Tuburan, Basilan mayor Harajun Jamiri, Benjamin Hataman, Adham Kusain, Ikram Indama, Caidar Aunal and PO1 Bayan Judda in connection with the Batasan complex bombing.

In dismissing the charges against Salapuddin, Lee said, “This court cannot consider the declarations of Indama, who at present stands charged as one of the accused in the case. Any statement or declarations made by him cannot be used against his co-accused.”