ZAMBOANGA
CITY, 4 Jan.
(PIA) - - In a directive issued yesterday to City
Jail Warden JCInsp. Julius Aro and the Logistics head JInsp.Pablo Villafuerte
Jr. by city Mayor Celso Lobregat, the chief executive instructed the jail
officials to ensure that all inmates at the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center
(ZCRC) are safe from threats and intimidation.
The directive was also “especially” specific to 8
suspects in the October 10 grenade throwing incident of which said suspects are
being detained at ZCRC pending trial.
“Lobregat issued the
directive as the chief executive expressed concern on alleged attempts to have
the grenade-throwing case dismissed and shelved,” revealed Vic Larato , Information
Division, City Hall.
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| photo by Joey Bautista (City Hall) |
Larato said the mayor strongly emphasized that “this
is a case that will show to all, that here in Zamboanga, criminals are caught
and prosecuted.”
According to Larato, Lobregat has asked Maj. Arro to investigate how that particular lawyer, who is not a legal counsel of any of the 8 suspects, was able to go inside the jail and got a retraction from one of the suspects.
Larato recalled “the October 10, 2012 incident was perpetrated by two motorcycle riding men who lobbed a grenade on a Navarra vehicle owned and driven by Hadja Farida Radja, a businesswoman, while the latter was along the intersection of Gov. Camins and Canelar Road. Radja escaped unhurt but her vehicle was partially damaged.”
“Authorities immediately collared the two grenade throwers and follow-up operations led to the arrest of 9 others and the seizure or recovery of firearms and motorcycles and other gadgets used paving the way for the solution of another crime perpetrated in the city earlier, “ Larato said.
He added “of the 11 suspects arrested, 8 are detained at the City Reformatory Center, as the 3 others were released for lack of evidence.” (JPA/PIA9)