SC releases report on Bar blast probe

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) released yesterday the results of its investigation into the grenade explosion that marred the conclusion of this year’s Bar exams in Manila on Sept. 26.

But the High Court opted not to identify the culprit deemed by the committee to have been responsible for the attack and instead allowed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to pursue ongoing investigations into the incident.

“The Chief Justice is closely monitoring developments in the DOJ and NBI. The Court will monitor these developments until there is final conviction of those behind these crimes,” court administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez told a press conference.

Marquez said the Court is aware of various opinions against the findings of the NBI probe that pointed to Alpha Phi Omega fraternity member Anthony Nepomuceno as the culprit, but stressed that these would be up to the investigating fiscal and the judge who would eventually handle the case to resolve.

But he stressed the NBI findings were considered by the SC panel chaired by Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr., adding that the bureau has been consistent with its reports to the committee during the 15-day probe conducted last month.

The SC official only disclosed recommendations of the committee on security protocols to be taken to prevent a similar incident in the future that were already reported by The STAR last Oct. 19.

In a report submitted to Chief Justice Renato Corona, the panel asked the High Court to modify its guidelines on the conduct of the Bar exams.

Among its proposals is to move the “salubong,” or the traditional practice where examinees are greeted as they leave the venue after completing the exams.

The probe panel also urged the Court to create new security measures in future Bar exams held during the four Sundays of September every year “by putting up a 200-meter perimeter fence within the vicinity of the exams from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.”

After 15 days of investigation, the committee also told the High Court that it would be better to make Bar operations of various organizations during Bar exams an official law school activity.

Not the target

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday it appeared that the victims in the grenade attack that marred the conclusion of this year’s Bar exams in Manila last month were not the intended targets.

Confirming a report of The STAR last Monday, De Lima said investigation showed that the explosion was a result of “miscalculation” of the suspect that resulted to injuries of persons in the “mistaken group.”

“It appears that the suspect already removed the pin of the grenade and threw it to the wrong group. The victims were in black shirts – just like his real targets,” she revealed to reporters.

De Lima said the attack was supposed to be aimed at the “rival fraternity” of the culprit’s fraternity, but she refused to reveal the name of the group so as to prevent any retaliatory attack.

Most of the 50 victims are female students from San Beda College of Law, 32 of them also members of college-based Alpha Phi Beta sorority and League of Lady Barristers.

Also yesterday, De Lima lamented a reported statement of APO frat “elder” Ferdie Ramos that they now regret surrendering Nepomuceno to the NBI, especially now that two more of their “brods” are being tagged in the incident as possible conspirators of the main suspect.

“That’s a sad development. They said they would cooperate and an elder even vowed to surrender the two other suspects if they would be found to be also members of their fraternity. Now why the sudden change in their stance?” she said.