Duterte welcomes independent probe

DAVAO CITY — Mayor Rodrigo Duterte welcomed yesterday President Arroyo’s directive to create an independent panel that would look into the mutineers’ allegations that the military had a hand in the twin bombings that rocked Davao City this year.

The President announced in her State of the Nation Address last Monday that an autonomous fact-finding commission would be formed to look into the mutineers’ allegations that Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes and Brig. Gen. Victor Corpus, chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), had a hand in the bombings.

The explosions ripped through a waiting shed outside the Davao International Airport last March 4 and a row of food stalls at the entrance gate of the passenger terminal at the Sasa wharf. The blasts left 39 people dead and more than 200 injured.

"I welcome it as it would help clear once and for all the charges raised by the mutinous soldiers in the Makati siege that the military had a hand in the bombings," Duterte said.

"The charges were serious and they need to be properly looked into. That is why I very much welcome the new probe. In fairness to Reyes, he may not qualify as an angel but he is certainly not the devil," he added.

The creation of the independent panel was also welcomed by several sectors in this city, including business and militant groups.

Duterte said the President did not consult him on the creation of the commission.

"I was not asked about it (the probe body) and I would not have any hand in its composition. I leave it to the President," he said.

However, he did not discount the possibility that the fact-finding body will interrogate him since he was privy to earlier investigations into the bombings.

Earlier investigations into the explosions resulted in the filing of multiple murder and frustrated murder charges against 200 suspects and the issuance of warrants of arrest against several Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders, including chairman Hashim Salamat.

At least five suspects have been arrested.

The arrest warrants for Salamat and nine other MILF leaders were recently lifted to enable them to participate in the resumption of peace talks with the government in Kuala Lumpur this week.

However, despite the President’s order for a new investigation into the Davao City bomb attacks, city prosecutor Raul Bendigo said the cases against the suspects would still proceed unless instructions come from Manila directing them otherwise.

Assistant city prosecutor Danilo Belo said they would have to wait for further instructions as the new probe would definitely have an impact on the cases they are pursuing against the suspects.