Salapuddin: QC court should wait for SC decision on arrest warrant

Former House Deputy Speaker and Basilan congressman Gerry Salapuddin, insisting on being innocent of the 2007 bombing at the House of Representatives, asked the Quezon City court to wait for the Supreme Court (SC) decision on the arrest warrant against him. Judge Ralph Lee of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 83 ordered Salapuddin's arrest on Friday and issued a the hold departure order against him on Monday. However, Salapuddin said in a text message sent Monday to GMA News anchor Arnold Clavio, "We have a pending petition at the SC awaiting action. My counsel is taking appropriate action," Salapuddin said Salappudin said the QC RTC should wait for the Supreme Court's decision on his petition regarding the arrest warrant issued against him for the 2007 bombing at the House of Representatives which killed six people, including Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar. Salapuddin denied allegations he was involved in the bombing, saying "violence is not my trademark." "I have always been a peace-loving person. I have always live and conducted my political career in a normal and professional manner," Salappudin said. Lee reissued the warrant of arrest he first released in 2008 but was lifted when former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said there was no probable cause to indict Salapuddin. Gonzalez's decision, however, was reversed by the Court of Appeals. After that, Salapuddin asked the SC to review the charges against him. The case is still pending with the High Tribunal. Salapuddin blamed his political rival for the reissuance of the arrest warrant. "My political rival is moving heaven and earth to connect me to a crime I have no hand or knowledge of," Salapuddin said without identifying the political rival he was referring to. In explaining his decision to re-issue the arrest warrant, Lee said: "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." After the 2007 bombing incident, security was tightened at the House of Representatives complex in Quezon City, and at the Senate in Pasay City. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ/VVP, GMANews.TV