9 charged over deadly Davao City blast

Nine people were charged with multiple murder and frustrated multiple murder Wednesday in connection with the bombing at the Roxas Night Market in Davao City last Sept. 2 which killed 15 people and wounded 70 others.

Senior Supt. Val de Leon, Special Investigation Task Group Night Market commander, said only one male suspect was identified while eight others were yet to be named.

De Leon, however, refused to disclose the identity of the male suspect, saying they will wait for the appreciation of the prosecutor who will handle the complaint they filed. 

He only described the suspect as between 20 to 30 years old.

“It [identity of the suspect] will be revealed at the proper time, [the complaint] is yet to be evaluated by the prosecutor,” De Leon told reporters.

He said the suspect was identified by the witnesses through a rogue gallery as the one who left the bag at the Davao night market.

“May ipinakitang sets of picture, file ng criminal elements.  We are so lucky our witnesses without doubt identified him.  Meron pang karagdagang witnesses in the proper time it will be revealed,” he said. 

De Leon said they have a strong case against the other unidentified suspects. 

“One is identified, the rest are John Does but we have strong evidence against the John Does," he said, adding that they have more than 30 testimonies.

Taxi driver

De Leon said there was a taxi driver who went to the police after seeing the cartographic sketch of the bombing suspect being shown on television. 

“The taxi driver has a good grasp of the features of the suspect, very positive on how he corroborated the statements of other witnesses. Voluntary siyang nagpunta at nagbigay ng statement. He strengthened the position of the witnesses,” he said.

De Leon added the taxi driver reduced into writing the conversation of the suspects who boarded his vehicle.

“Yung conversation nila was reduced into writing ng ating witness. They were talking about bag, talking about…we don’t want to prejudice.  Narinig niya,” he said. 

“Nung nilabas yung cartographic sketch, he voluntarily provided vital information for us to pursue the case.  We are lucky na dumating siya,” he added.

De Leon refused to say if the suspects were affiliated with other groups but he said that they most likely have connections in Davao City.

“Sa paggawa ng isang krimen ay malaki ang probablity na may contact ka dito,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News