Police still working on Busang case

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo said yesterday a preliminary investigation team on the Busang hoax case was still collecting information from all possible sources.

Dibyo said police would pursue the case thoroughly as it had received full authorization from the Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana.

The police are working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as the mining company blamed for the scam, Bre-X Minerals Ltd., is based in Toronto.

"Whoever is proven to be involved in the trickery will be punished," Dibyo said.

Dibyo said the team was still collecting information and evidence from the ministry.

Police said the preliminary investigation team is authorized to collect data and evidence. If a person thought to be involved in the scandal wanted to leave the country, police would not be able to prevent him, a source said, until he was named a suspect or witness.

A member of Bre-X's geological team has returned to the Philippines. It was headed by the late Michael de Guzman.

The preliminary investigation team of detectives and experts was set up last week after a letter was issued by the minister.

The team is led by Col. Arifin Rachim, head detective of the Subdirectorate for Economic Affairs at the National Police.

On Tuesday National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi denied statements that police have questioned officials of the Ministry of Mining and Energy.

"Police have not summoned and questioned any official from the ministry in this preliminary investigation," Nurfaizi said.

Ministry sources said several officials had been questioned by police.

On Tuesday Antara quoted Head of the Directorate of General Mining, Adjat Sudrajat, as saying that the ministry had not received any request from the police to question its employees.

Adjat said by Monday, police had not issued the names of officials to be questioned regarding the Bre-X case.

"We don't know yet whether there is any official or former official of the ministry who will be questioned by police," Adjat said.

Officers at the National Police Headquarters said investigations had not found any new clues and that no indication of crime had been found so far.

Meanwhile, the Head of the National Police Detective Department Brig. Gen. Rusdihardjo said Tuesday police would not release any information on the Busang case until the preliminary investigation process was completed. (cst)