Plaintiffs drop lawsuit against Gen. Bimantoro

JAKARTA (JP): Comr. Sr. Alfons Loemau and seven other middle- ranking police officers withdrew on Wednesday their lawsuit against the National Police Commander Gen. Surojo Bimantoro.

Their lawyer, Irianto Subiakto, said that his clients decided to withdraw the suit as they wanted to make peace with the police chief.

"Comr. Sr. Alfons supports the process of reconciliation within the police force. He does not want the process to be disrupted by the lawsuit," Irianto told reporters in a press conference at the South Jakarta District Court.

He underlined that the plaintiffs decided to withdraw the suits voluntarily.

"It was not made under police coercion," he said.

The press conference was also attended by the court chief, Lalu Mariyun, who announced that there would not be any hearing as the suit had been revoked.

The court was scheduled to open the hearing of the case on Wednesday based upon the suit that was registered last week by the lawyer.

The eight officers had sued Bimantoro following what they claimed was their unlawful arrest and detention in connection with the insubordination charges imposed against them.

They also said in the lawsuit that the National Police could not charge them for violating the military criminal code, arguing that the police must now abide by civilian laws and regulations.

All eight officers are still under police detention.

The officers were accused of staging a revolt against Bimantoro as they discussed Bimantoro's defiant stance against then President Abdurrahman Wahid. The discussion was held along with dozens of middle-ranking officers at National Police Headquarters on July 9.

The officers criticized Bimantoro for refusing to step down as ordered by the then president and regarded him disobedient.

Following the discussion, the eight officers were summoned, but Alfons failed to show up. He was later declared a fugitive and arrested at his home in South Jakarta.

Irianto told reporters that even though the suit was withdrawn this did not necessarily mean that the eight officers had pleaded guilty or approved of the arrest and detention.

He also called the police chief to release them soon, to rehabilitate their name and to allow them to go back to work.

The lawyer said that on Friday he was told by an officer from the National Police Headquarters that he was not allowed to see his clients.

He said it was not until Tuesday that he and the other lawyers could meet Alfons, who later told them about the decision to withdraw the suit.

Meanwhile, Bimantoro's lawyer, Comr. Sr. Suyitno, responded positively to the plaintiffs' decision. He said that case would be discussed internally by the National Police.

He said he did not know when Alfons and the other seven officers would be released from detention.

"It all depends on their direct supervisor," he said, adding that Alfons was assigned to the information and data processing unit before his arrest.

He said that the withdrawal of the suit would not automatically solve the problem but he believed the police would accept Alfons and the other seven officers.

"What's clear is that he is not an enemy because all are part of the National Police community," he said.(04)