Efforts to turn bomb suspect into state witness suffer delay

Efforts to officially admit a Valentine’s Day bombing suspect as a state witness for the prosecution suffered an unexpected delay yesterday.

This developed as Makati City Judge Marissa Guillen asked that the move be made through a formal manifestation or motion and not by oral request.

She gave the prosecution 15 days to submit a written motion so the court may look into the matter and decide whether Gappal Bannah alias Boy Negro can turn state witness.

The prosecution expects the court to approve of their move in order to pin down the rest of the suspects in the multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges lodged against them.

Bannah was tagged as the one who kept the bomb planted by Gamal Baharan alias Tapay and Angelo Trinidad alias Abu Khalil inside an RRCG bus in Makati City last Feb. 14, 2005.

Four persons were killed while more than 60 others were wounded in the attack allegedly ordered by Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader Khaddafy Janjalani and an Indonesian terrorist identified only as Zacky who has also been arrested.

The prosecution believes Bannah is the least guilty of those accused and expects him to be dropped from the charge sheet or at least be given a lower sentence.

State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco, in an interview, said they will file a written manifestation within the period given by the court.

For now, Bannah will stay under the custody of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at Camp Crame.

His application to be included in the government’s Witness Protection Program is still being evaluated by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Trinidad and Baharan, on the other hand, are in the custody of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) while Zacky is detained at Fort Bonifacio.

"The court ordered that they stay in their respective custodial units for security reasons," Velasco told The STAR.

During yesterday’s hearing, the prosecution presented only one witness in the person of Maj. Ser-Me Ayuyao of the Philippine Army and the Anti-Terrorism Task Force.

Ayuyao, Trinidad and Baharan’s arresting officer, merely identified the suspects in the cases in court and explained how they were arrested.

Velasco said Baharan and Zacky turned out to be on the list of wanted persons being hunted not only by the Philippine government, but also of the US.