Rep. Mujiv Hataman of AMIN Party List and Rep. Faysah RPM Dumarpa of Lanao del Sur had filed two different bills on anti-Discrimination. Their bills are now being consolidated into one.
This consolidated bill is now on the process of being formulated and framed. We would like to hear your views about this bill and help contirbute to its construction by making your comments on its draft posted here.
Please Click on the links below to read the bill and post your comments.
Three suspects in the November 13 blast at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday recanted their statements linking Anak Mindanao Rep. Mujiv Hataman, his brother Jim, and former congressman Gerry Salapuddin in the explosion that killed Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar and four employees of the House of Representatives.
Hajarun Jamiri, former mayor of Tuburan, Basilan, Adham Kusain, and Caidar Aunal said their statements on the alleged involvement of the Hataman brothers and Salapuddin in the blast "were made under duress."
Jamiri told reporters during a press conference that he was tortured and forced to sign an affidavit implicating the Hatamans and Salapuddin.
Jamiri claimed that he was forced to testify against the Hatamans and Salapuddin after policemen under the CIDG, beat him. He claimed that he was also tortured from the time of his arrest on November 19 until the next day. He said his private parts were electrocuted.
Police arrested Jamiri in San Andres, Manila, for illegal gun possession. A .45-caliber pistol was recovered from him. Police reportedly recovered an improvised explosive device, supposedly intended for Akbar, in Jamiri's apartment in Manila.
Jamiri formally recanted his statement at the Justice department Monday afternoon. He was charged for illegal possession of firearms and is now out on bail.
"It is not true that the order to kill Congressman Akbar came from Mujiv Hataman and Jim Hataman," he said through lawyer Eduardo Arriba.
Jamiri said that while he was being tortured in an unknown location, he was able to remove his blindfold and saw the face of his alleged tormentor, whom Jamiri identified as "Atello." He said his tormentor's uniform showed that "Atello" belonged to the Philippine Army.
On November 22, Jamiri said that he was forced by policemen to sign a prepared Sinumpaang Salaysay (sworn statement), which he was neither able to read nor understand, but nevertheless signed for fear that he would once again be subjected to torture.
Denial
However, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police on Monday denied Jamiri's claim that he was tortured.
CIDG chief Director Edgardo Doromal said that Jamiri could have taken back his testimony to save his own skin. He said authorities were thinking of filing perjury against Jamiri.
"If warranted, because he already gave his first statement, and now he is saying he was just tortured and forced to sign that statement, we might file perjury against him," Doromal said.
Dorormal said Jamiri’s “first statement will stay for now."
He said that even if the Department of Justice no longer considers Jamiri’s first testimony, authorities would still have a strong case against the Hatamans and Salapuddin.
Mauled
DzBB also said on Monday that Kusain and Aunal were forced to give evidence against the Hataman brothers and Salapuddin through threat and intimidation. The report said the two suspects were mauled.
Aunal and Kusain, with another suspect, Ikram Indama, were arrested in a subdivision in Payatas B, Quezon City two days after the Batasan blast.
The families of Aunal, Kusain, and Indama petitioned the Supreme Court to issue writs of habeas corpus. They said were being illegally detained because no case has been filed against them since they were arrested.
Under the Revised Penal Code and the Rules of Court, a suspect has to be formally charged within 36 hours following their arrest, otherwise he should be released.
Petitioners said that after four days since the arrest of three suspects, they were made to sign a waiver of detention under the "watchful eyes" of investigators.
They also claimed that the three were not provided their "counsel of choice" when policemen from the CIDG extracted testimonies from the suspects.
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