RP police likely to release Indonesians
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
There appears to be some hope that three Indonesian men arrested for alleged possession of explosives in Manila may be released after the Philippine National Police (PNP) suggested that the charges be dropped.
Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that a PNP officer, Sr. Supt. Santiago, had mentioned the possibility during a meeting with Indonesian diplomats in Manila on Monday.
"The PNP plans to ask the Ministry of Justice to release the three Indonesian nationals due to insufficient evidence. We need to wait and see," Marty said.
He added that the latest development in the case had given the Indonesian government reason to be optimistic that the legal and diplomatic efforts it had undertaken to secure the release of the three would be successful.
The three men, Tamsil Linrung, Agus Dwikarna and Abdul Jamal Balfas were arrested on March 13 at Ninoy Aquino airport as they were heading for Bangkok. Police found bomb components in their luggage.
Earlier in the day, foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said the government was hopefully expecting that three Indonesians might be released on or around May 13. The Philippine legal system, he said, allows the release of a detainee after 60 days if state prosecutors fail to validate the charges.
"Let's see what will happen on May 13, whether the Philippine authorities can prove the charges," Hassan said after a meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung
The three men were supposed to be arraigned in open court on April 3, but the court ordered state prosecutors to conduct further investigations into the case, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
Regional trial court Judge Henrick Gingoyon granted a request by the suspects allowing them to submit affidavits to prove their innocence.
The meeting between Akbar and Hassan was specially arranged to discuss the progress of the legal proceedings in the case. Both the government and the House agreed during the meeting that the former would seek other avenues to release the Indonesians.
"We will let the legal process continue. But we have to try other means, for example, a political approach, to release them," Akbar said.
What the government had done so far was to ensure that the authorities in Manila protected the civil rights of the Indonesians, according to Hassan.
According to Hassan, the three Indonesians could be released on US$8,000 bail each.
"The request for release has been approved, but then the three Indonesians face a second charge of violating immigration laws. Therefore, they can't be freed," he added.
There has been speculation among politicians that the arrest was made upon the request of the Indonesian government, an allegation which has been denied by government officials. One of the arrested men, Tamsil, is a former deputy treasurer of National Awakening Party (PAN).
Meanwhile, concerning another Indonesian, Fatur Rohman Al Ghozi, who was arrested in January in Manila, Hassan confirmed that Al Ghozi was being tried on two charges of explosives possession and an immigration offense.
"We have also been paying close attention to this case from the beginning," Hassan said, without elaborating.