Arrest warrant for ex-deputy speaker for '07 Batasan blast

A court has ordered the arrest of former House of Representatives deputy speaker Gerry Salapuddin for the bombing at the Batasan complex that killed a fellow lawmaker from Mindanao three years ago. Radio dzBB reported Sunday the Quezon City regional trial court (RTC) Branch 83 recommended no bail for Salapuddin for the Batasan Complex bombing on November 13, 2007 that killed his provincemate and fellow legislator Rep. Wahab Akbar of Basilan. Salapuddin was one of several charged for the blast that killed six people. His political rival Akbar was believed to be the main target of the attack. A former driver of Salapuddin, Ikram Indama, had admitted he parked a motorcyle with explosives near the exit of the south wing of the House of Representatives. Also killed were congressional employees Jul-Asiri Hayundini, Maan Gale Bustalino, Dennis Manila, Vercia Garcia, and Marcial Taldo. Taldo was a member of the staff of party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan. Ilagan, Rep. Pryde Henry Teves, and at least two others were wounded in the incident. QC RTC Judge Ralph Lee had issued an arrest warrant in 2008, which he lifted after then Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez found no probable cause to indict Salapuddin — a decision later reversed by the Court of Appeals. In denying the accusations, Salapuddin petitioned the Supreme Court more than a year ago to review the charges against him. Lee noted that the SC has not acted on the petition. Lee explained in his latest decision to re-issue the arrest warrant: "While it may be true that this court previously lifted the warrant of arrest that it issued against the accused after the Secretary of Justice found that there was no probable cause against him, the same findings, however, of the Secretary of Justice was eventually reversed by the Court of Appeals. To the mind of the court, there has already been an executive and judicial determination of probable cause that it cannot ignore. In effect, the order of this court dated July 18, 2008 finding no probable cause is technically reversed by said Court of Appeals resolution." The 2007 incident also prompted tightened security at the House of Representatives complex in Quezon City, and at the Senate in Pasay City. — LBG, HS, GMANews.TV