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5th fatality in bus blast named; cops to release suspects' sketches Thursday


Authorities identified Wednesday night the fifth fatality of the deadly blast that ripped through a passenger bus in Makati City Tuesday. The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, hinted it may release Thursday the sketches of at least two suspects in the bombing. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) named the fatality as Johnlie Daquloag, who was declared dead on arrival at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City. Fatalities identified earlier were:

    * Jhohanson Reyes (dead on the spot); * Shirley Kristel Andres Orsena, 25 (dead on the spot); * Marino Salustino, 57 (dead on arrival at Ospital ng Makati Pembo); and * Irish Tiñola, a call center agent who succumbed to her injuries shortly after midnight Tuesday.
Meanwhile, police have composed sketches of two suspects behind the bombing and may publish these Thursday. Radio dzBB reported the Southern Police District based the sketches on interviews with the conductor and passengers of the Newman Gold Line bus. A separate report on dzRH radio on Wednesday said the police did not immediately release the sketches to the public because they are still comparing the drafts with a database of known criminals. But the dzRH report said an initial description showed the suspects were "young-looking." Condemnation, suspicion A number of Catholic bishops have condemned the bus bombing incident and called for vigilance, even as they voiced suspicions it could be part of a destabilization plot. “We should be vigilant. There could be people out to destabilize the present government," said Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao, in an article posted on the Union of Catholic Asian News. “We should also pray for those who commit evil so that they may realize its consequences," he added. On the other hand, Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr. of Novaliches also said the attack might be part of a plot to destabilize the government. He called on President Benigno Aquino III to prove he can run the country and implement its laws. “The people need to believe in you now," Bishop Bacani said. Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos of Butuan said the bus bombing might be a “political message" for Aquino to address poverty, corruption and killings that are plaguing the country. For his part, Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez called for swift action against those responsible for the blast and challenged the PNP to improve its intelligence-gathering capability to prevent further attacks. He also called for “communal action" to maintain peace and order in the country. “Communal action is the responsibility of everybody," he said. Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez Jr., chairman of the public affairs committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines' public affairs unit, echoed his colleagues' calls, adding, “The government should act on this quickly. Let us all do what we can as soon as possible to investigate the root of this." “Let the enforcers of law and order wake up. We cannot just ignore this incident," he added. — LBG, GMANews.TV
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