Arroyo vows to speed up legal process for Agus

Arroyo vows to speed up legal process for Agus

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo vowed on Tuesday
to speed up the legal process of Indonesian Agus Dwikarna who
remains in police detention in Manila for allegedly carrying
bomb-making components.

Arroyo made her promise during a meeting with Indonesian House
of Representatives deputy speaker A.M. Fatwa and his fellow
National Mandate Party (PAN) legislator Djoko Susilo on Tuesday
night in Bulacan, 60 kilometers from the Philippines' capital of
Manila, Antara reported.

The continued detention of Agus has raised eyebrows since two
of his colleagues who traveled with him -- Tamsil Linrung and
Abdul Jamal Balfas -- are now merely awaiting administrative
procedures before their official release.

Fatwa and Djoko flew to Manila to oversee the pair's release
as Tamsil is an active member of the National Mandate Party.

Spokesman for the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Triyogo
Djatmiko, said on Wednesday that the Philippines' minister of
justice, Hernando Perez, had also vowed to release Agus if there
was little evidence against him.

"For Agus to be released without charges, he still has to
undergo a second preliminary questioning ... The PNP (Philippine
National Police) claims it has evidence concerning another issue
against Agus," Triyogo said without elaborating further.

"The court there have yet to come to a decision on the
possible temporary release of Agus ... it should come within one
or two days. They could be home by Friday this week," Triyogo
said.

On Tuesday, the court just heard arguments from Philippines
prosecutors.

Fatwa on Wednesday said that President Arroyo would study
Agus' dossiers.

Fatwa also said he conveyed his appreciation to Arroyo for her
intervention in expediting Tamsil and Abdul Jamal's release.

According to existing Philippine regulations, the president
can intervene and get suspects released without the case ever
getting to court.

Fatwa added that Arroyo intends to send personal counselor
Noberto Gonzales, who holds a rank equivalent to that of a
minister, to Jakarta and South Sulawesi to meet with the public
and leaders there.

Agus is a South Sulawesi native.

"Hernando has said that he will release Agus if Arroyo states
that all investigations against him be stopped," Fatwa said.

In an earlier conversation with the director of the
Philippines Security Council, Fatwa said that he was shown a
closed folder marked "Secret" on Agus, which reportedly contained
strong evidence about the activities of Agus, based on "incoming
information" which was why Agus was arrested in the first place.

Tamsil himself has alleged that he and his colleagues were
framed and arrested for political reasons as a result of orders
from elements in Jakarta. He did not elaborate.

Earlier, National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar had said
that Agus had reportedly been involved in a bombing in Makassar,
South Sulawesi, last year, but that he had no idea why that case
was related to Agus's arrest in the Philippines.

On the release of Tamsil and Abdul Jamal, Triyogo said that
travel bans on both men had to be revoked by the Philippines
immigration authorities first.

"Before the travel bans are revoked, even as it has already
been decided that both would be set free of all charges by the
president, they still can't leave the Philippines," Triyogo said.