Al-Ghozi’s bomb ‘supplier’ released

CEBU — Twelve days after his arrest, suspected bomb supplier Antonio Reyes was released from police custody Saturday morning after putting up P200,000 bond.

Reyes was suspected to be the middleman in the procurement of explosives used during the Rizal Day bombing in Metro Manila which was masterminded by international terrorist Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi three years ago.

Reyes was arrested in Clarin, Bohol last Aug. 12 during a follow-up operation by the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau of the city police.

State prosecutor Roberto Lao filed a case of illegal possession of explosives in Cebu last October tagging Reyes as the one who allegedly acquired without license some 50 boxes of explosives, six rolls of detonating cord and three boxes of blasting caps.

A bail of P200,000 was set for Reyes’ temporary liberty.

A day after his arrest, Reyes told city police chief Cecil Ezra Sandalo that he wanted to remain under police custody because he feared for his own safety.

But Sandalo was surprised the other day when Reyes chose to acquire a surety bond for him to be released from police custody.

Much as he wanted Reyes to remain with them, Sandalo said he could defy the order of Regional Trial Court Judge Ramon Codilla Jr. for him to be released.

Sandalo, however, said they had extracted enough information from Reyes that would be of help in the investigation into the Rizal Day bombing.

Reyes did not say anything to anybody after his release and just walked away.

He earlier denied any involvement in the Rizal Day bombing, claiming that a certain Alex whom he met in November 2000 asked him where to purchase explosives and that since he did not know where, they parted ways.

But former Moro Islamic Liberation Front member Cusain Ramos, alias Abu Ali, who is now under the custody of the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group, said Reyes was the one who allegedly helped him procure the explosives.

Ramos said he paid Reyes about P80,000 for the explosives which Al-Ghozi brought to Manila in November 2000.

He said it was Reyes himself who delivered the explosives to the pier. — Freeman News Service