CASE FILED AGAINST SUSPECT IN DAVAO BLAST. Crime Investigation and Detection Group regional director Edilberto Leonardo supervises the filing of the criminal case against the principal suspect of the Davao blast at the Hall of Justice in Ecoland, late afternoon Wednesday, September 14. Authorities refused to reveal the identity of the suspects, saying that the case must be reviewed by the prosecutors first. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY – Authorities investigating the Roxas night market blast said they now have nine suspects in the deadly bombing on September 2, but they were only able to file charges against one of the suspects on Wednesday afternoon, September 14 pending investigation on the other suspects.
The Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) together with Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and Task Force (TF) Davao filed criminal charges against the prime suspect of the bombing at the Hall of Justice here.
Senior Supt. Valeriano de Leon, SITG head said that based on their investigation there are five John Does and three Jane Does and the identified male prime suspect.
He said they are still collecting evidences against eight other suspects. He said the evidences they have “are purely circumstantial”.
Prime suspect
In an interview with reporters, De Leon said that a witness fully-identified the prime suspect after he removed his mask.
The authorities released a digital and artist sketch of a masked man believed to be the first suspect identified in the night market bombing.
“There was an instance that he removed his mask when he was inside the taxi because he was communicating with others,” he said.
DCPO director Senior Superintendent Michael John Dubria said that there are 46 complainants who filed seven counts of multiple murder and 31 counts of multiple frustrated murder to the identified suspect.
“But the investigation will not end since it is a continuing process and it doesn’t have any time frame,” he said.
Police urges more witness to speak up
Dubria said that they are urging other witnesses to surface to strengthen the filed cases against the prime suspect and point out other suspects of the Roxas bombing.
“We are always coordinating with the families of the victims and everybody is cooperative because they are very angry and they want justice,” Dubria said.
De Leon said that they will reveal the name and the image of the suspect after city prosecutor, Atty. Nestor Ledesma reviews the evidences.(davaotoday.com)
