3rd suspect nabbed in Antipolo explosion

Police looking into the bomb blast outside a grocery store in Antipolo City last Monday arrested a Filipino who allegedly aided the two arrested Indian suspects in their illegal activities in the country.

The suspect, Edward Espejon, 27, of Bicutan, Taguig, was reportedly with Indian nationals Pankaj Komar and Penkej Jain when they checked in at Gem’s Hotel along the Circumferential Road a day before the bomb explosion outside Rempson Supermarket in Barangay San Jose.

The hotel is just 600 meters from the grocery store, police said.

Elements of the Rizal Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) confiscated from the Indian suspects a number of plates for the manufacture of fake P100, P500 and P1,000 bills.

Jain and Komar have been charged with forgery with the Antipolo City prosecutor’s office. Espejon was included in the charge sheet yesterday.

Espejon’s brother, Diego, 35, however, denied that his brother was a terrorist.

The elder Espejon and their relatives trooped to the Rizal police headquarters in Taytay, Rizal yesterday to check on Edward’s health condition.

Diego said he has known Komar for two years now, saying the Indian was into the "five-six" lending business.

Jain, according to Diego, arrived in the country six months ago.

Police turned over Jain and Komar to the Bureau of Immigration yesterday to determine whether they are staying legally in the country.

"They have not shown us any passports or documents," said Superintendent Ricardo Ver, Rizal deputy police director. "We turned them over to the (immigration bureau) to determine if they are illegal or overstaying aliens and if they have working permits."