Arroyo vows to speed up legal process for Agus<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo vowed on Tuesday
\nto speed up the legal process of Indonesian Agus Dwikarna who
\nremains in police detention in Manila for allegedly carrying
\nbomb-making components.<\/p>\n
Arroyo made her promise during a meeting with Indonesian House
\nof Representatives deputy speaker A.M. Fatwa and his fellow
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN) legislator Djoko Susilo on Tuesday
\nnight in Bulacan, 60 kilometers from the Philippines' capital of
\nManila, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
The continued detention of Agus has raised eyebrows since two
\nof his colleagues who traveled with him -- Tamsil Linrung and
\nAbdul Jamal Balfas -- are now merely awaiting administrative
\nprocedures before their official release.<\/p>\n
Fatwa and Djoko flew to Manila to oversee the pair's release
\nas Tamsil is an active member of the National Mandate Party.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Triyogo
\nDjatmiko, said on Wednesday that the Philippines' minister of
\njustice, Hernando Perez, had also vowed to release Agus if there
\nwas little evidence against him.<\/p>\n
\"For Agus to be released without charges, he still has to
\nundergo a second preliminary questioning ... The PNP (Philippine
\nNational Police) claims it has evidence concerning another issue
\nagainst Agus,\" Triyogo said without elaborating further.<\/p>\n
\"The court there have yet to come to a decision on the
\npossible temporary release of Agus ... it should come within one
\nor two days. They could be home by Friday this week,\" Triyogo
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the court just heard arguments from Philippines
\nprosecutors.<\/p>\n
Fatwa on Wednesday said that President Arroyo would study
\nAgus' dossiers.<\/p>\n
Fatwa also said he conveyed his appreciation to Arroyo for her
\nintervention in expediting Tamsil and Abdul Jamal's release.<\/p>\n
According to existing Philippine regulations, the president
\ncan intervene and get suspects released without the case ever
\ngetting to court.<\/p>\n
Fatwa added that Arroyo intends to send personal counselor
\nNoberto Gonzales, who holds a rank equivalent to that of a
\nminister, to Jakarta and South Sulawesi to meet with the public
\nand leaders there.<\/p>\n
Agus is a South Sulawesi native.<\/p>\n
\"Hernando has said that he will release Agus if Arroyo states
\nthat all investigations against him be stopped,\" Fatwa said.<\/p>\n
In an earlier conversation with the director of the
\nPhilippines Security Council, Fatwa said that he was shown a
\nclosed folder marked \"Secret\" on Agus, which reportedly contained
\nstrong evidence about the activities of Agus, based on \"incoming
\ninformation\" which was why Agus was arrested in the first place.<\/p>\n
Tamsil himself has alleged that he and his colleagues were
\nframed and arrested for political reasons as a result of orders
\nfrom elements in Jakarta. He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
Earlier, National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar had said
\nthat Agus had reportedly been involved in a bombing in Makassar,
\nSouth Sulawesi, last year, but that he had no idea why that case
\nwas related to Agus's arrest in the Philippines.<\/p>\n
On the release of Tamsil and Abdul Jamal, Triyogo said that
\ntravel bans on both men had to be revoked by the Philippines
\nimmigration authorities first.<\/p>\n
\"Before the travel bans are revoked, even as it has already
\nbeen decided that both would be set free of all charges by the
\npresident, they still can't leave the Philippines,\" Triyogo said.<\/p>",
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