RP police likely to release Indonesians

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.