SC committee wraps up probe on Bar exam blast

The Supreme Court committee looking to into the September 26 post-Bar examinations explosion held its last meeting on Wednesday after gathering sufficient evidence against a suspect. Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva, a member of the committee, said they will submit a report to Chief Justice Renato Corona, who will decide when to divulge its contents to the public. He added that "the case is closed' as far as the identifying the suspect is concerned. "We're confident that at least that the culprit to this bombing has already been identified. As to whether we can disclose it, we don't want to disrupt the operations of the NBI [National bureau of Investigation]. We're not prepared to disclose the name of that person," Villanueva said at a news briefing. He added that the NBI is actively pursuing the arrest of the suspect, whose cartographic sketch was made public on Tuesday. He declined to divulge the committee's findings on University of San Jose Recoletos law student Jed Carlo Lazaga, who was initially identified as the suspect in the grenade blast. Villanueva also hinted that part of the committee's recommendations include stricter guidelines for the traditional Salubong, where well-wishers and law students greet Bar examinees after taking the test. It was during the Salubong outside the De La Salle University in Manila on September 26 when the explosion occurred. The blast left about 47 people hurt, including Raissa Laurel, who lost her legs. "What I can tell you is that it will not be the same kind of examinations that people are used to. The Supreme Court and this committee will see to it that the appropriate security measures will be adopted. That the safety of those who are taking the Bar and those supporting the examinees will be protected," Villanueva added. –VVP, GMANews.TV