Batasan bombing witness back in gov't custody

The state witness in the bombing of the Batasan Complex presented himself before a Quezon City judge yesterday, a day after walking out of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) compound.

Ikram Indama, who was under custody of the CIDG-NCR as a state witness, told police investigators in Camp Karingal that he just wanted to be detained with the two other accused in the case – Caidar Aunal and Adham Kusain – who are both in Camp Bagong Diwa, said Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit of the Quezon City Police District.

Based on Indama’s statements, Mabanag said the state witness “casually walked out” of the CIDG compound last Monday.

Mabanag explained that being a state witness, Indama was able to roam, although with limits, around the CIDG compound.

Before he was transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa yesterday afternoon, Indama also told police investigators that no one aided him or gave him money to be able to leave the CIDG compound.  

“From Santolan Road, he (Indama) boarded a taxicab at around 4:30 p.m. and went to a house of his cousin in Fairview,” Mabanag said in an interview.

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Raul Castañeda earlier said Indama’s custodian noticed him missing by 6 a.m.

Yesterday morning, Indama presented himself to Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 83 Judge Ralph Lee, who is hearing the case.

Mabanag noted that Indama has a “pending request (before the court) to be transferred to Bicutan.” Lee granted Indama’s request, and ordered QCPD director Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula to facilitate Indama’s transfer to Camp Bagong Diwa.

Based on his interview with Indama, Mabanag said the state witness has not retracted any of his earlier statements regarding the bombing.

Asked why he immediately surfaced and presented himself to the court after news broke out about his going missing, Indama told the police: “I don’t want to become wanted.”

Indama, Kusain and Aunal were arrested at a safehouse near the Batasan complex, where the police recovered pieces of evidence linked to the bombing.

The bombing on Nov. 13 last year resulted in the death of four people, including Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar, and the wounding of several others.

Cops under investigation

The former chief of the CIDG-NCR and his three subordinates have been placed under investigation by the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) over Indama’s disappearance.

The four police officers placed under investigation were Senior Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, former chief of the CIDG-NCR; Inspector Ariel Macanlalay, SPO1 Raymond Santos and SPO1 Johnny Muzar.

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Raul Castañeda decided to transfer the investigation to IAS to prevent any speculation of whitewash in Indama’s disappearance.

Castañeda clarified that Velasquez’s relief from the CIDG-NCR has nothing to do with Indama’s disappearance since the change of command at the unit was approved and scheduled the previous week.

While Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez took over the CIDG-NCR, Velasquez was supposed to be appointed to another sensitive position—as chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Division (CIDD), the unit that handles high-profile cases. 

According to Felix Vargas of the CIDG Public Information Office, Velasquez opted to go on leave pending the result of the investigation.

According to Castañeda, although the Department of Justice has accepted Indama in its Witness Protection Program (WPP), the CIDG might file a motion before the DOJ to include him as among the principal accused in the Batasan complex bombing.

Castañeda said Indama has been accepted on provisionary status in the WPP since July 25, after he agreed to cooperate with the police authorities to identify, arrest and prosecute the mastermind behind the Batasan complex bombing.

However, Indama’s mysterious disappearance might affect his status at the WPP, though Castañeda said they will try to talk to Indama to determine why he left the CIDG-NCR custody. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe