SunStar: NBI files raps vs Mark Leviste 'for planting bomb'

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed charges against Batangas vice gubernatorial candidate Jose Antonio “Mark" Leviste II for allegedly planting a dummy explosive at the office of a provincial board member last year. Sun-Star Manila (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Wednesday that the NBI lodged the complaint before the Justice Department against Leviste and his bodyguard Edward Ronquillo. “Leviste’s intention of causing panic through the planting of a dummy bomb as a diversionary tactic of his real intention of harming (provincial board member Leanda) Bolilia was clear from the statements of Ronquillo and Bolilia," said lawyer Allan Contado, head of the NBI Intelligence Special Operations Division (ISOD). But the NBI asked that Ronquillo be discharged from the case after the preliminary investigation, and be allowed to be a state witness against Leviste. Ronquillo earlier admitted planting a C-4 explosive at the office of Batangas Provincial Board member Leanda Bolilia at the second floor of the PB building on June 8 last year. While the bomb turned out to be fake, it caused disturbance and panic to the public inside and near the building, and prevented the regular session of the provincial board that day. The NBI presented as evidence in its complaint the testimony of Ronquillo, who claimed that Leviste ordered him to kill Bolilia. Ronquillo also filed charges of grave threats against Leviste before the NBI, and immorality and graft and corruption charges before the Office of the Ombudsman. “We have enough evidence to support the allegation against Mr. Leviste and his driver," Contado said, adding Ronquillo even underwent and passed a lie detector test. - GMANews.TV