2010 Philippine Bar exam bombing
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Philippine Bar exam bombing occurred on Taft Avenue
near De La Salle University
(DLSU), located in Malate
, Manila
, Philippines, on September 26, 2010, at 5:05 pm PST
, a few minutes after Philippine Bar exam
inees began exiting DLSU. An Mk2 grenade was thrown at a group of Alpha Phi Beta members from San Beda College
. They were standing near Tau Gamma Phi
members, whom police believed were the real target of the explosive. This resulted in injuries to 47 people, including two who required amputations.
Jed Carlos Lazaga was initially accused of throwing the grenade, based on information received by the Manila Police District
(MPD) from an unnamed witness. This theory was later dismissed when the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) took over the case.
Anthony Leal Nepomuceno, NBI's prime suspect and an Alpha Phi Omega
(APO) member, surrendered to Jejomar Binay
, Vice President of the Philippines
, on October 27. Fellow APO members, Binay, and former Department of Justice
(DOJ) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, asserted Nepomuceno's innocence. Binay's actions were criticized by several members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
, who said Nepomuceno was cleared prematurely. The Office of the President stated that it had no intention to distance Binay from the matter, but clarified that Binay's statements would have no bearing in the investigation.
In a 27-page DOJ resolution, prosecutors found Nepomuceno's defense "weak", and recommended his indictment
. DOJ charged him with multiple murder charges (for almost killing the two amputees), multiple attempted murder charges, and illegal possession of explosives.
The 2010 Bar exam was the last to be conducted in De La Salle University. The 2011 exam will be held in the University of Santo Tomas
(UST) in November. The Supreme Court denied that the bombing precipitated the move; the change had already been planned before the blast. It also said that "necessary security measures" will be in force in UST to prevent an event similar to the 2010 bombing.
La Sallian university located on a 5.45 ha (13.5 acre) campus in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It faces Taft Avenue, a major thoroughfare named after William Howard Taft
. DLSU had a population of 888 faculty and 15,779 students in 2009.
The Philippine Bar exams have been held at DLSU since 2002. An average of over 5,000 examinees used its buildings for the test. For the 2010 exam, 5,012 examinees took the test in 121 rooms inside six DLSU buildings. The number of examinees was lower than the 6,080 who took the test in 2009.
. As with tradition, examinees were expected to be greeted by loud noises as they exit DLSU. By 5:05 pm, a loud explosion occurred in the area where supporters for the San Beda College examinees were standing. Tremors were felt as far away as inside the elevated platform of the Vito Cruz LRT Station
near DLSU. People in the area thought that the noise from the explosion was from fireworks that are a normal part of the post-bar celebrations. A commotion followed as people panicked and ran for safety. A bottle-throwing incident also occurred, according to a police spokesman. The window of a street-side shop was shattered. Glass bottles, broken and intact, were scattered around the area as police evacuated people from the scene. The explosion occurred shortly after a fraternity fight near DLSU.
On the day of the explosion, 34 injuries were reported. This figure rose to 47 two days later. Most of the victims were female and members of Alpha Phi Beta, a fraternity from San Beda. Victims who were identified were from 23 to 28 years old. Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center
received 17 of the injured; nine were taken to the Philippine General Hospital
, five to Medical Center Manila
, three to the Manila Doctors Hospital, and one to the Manila Adventist Medical Center
. The Manila Police District
bomb squad rushed to the site of the blast and cordoned off the area to search the debris for parts of the explosive.
Two persons (Raissa Laurel and Joanna Ledda; both women) underwent leg amputations because of their injuries.
, who called it "an unfortunate incident." The incident was likewise condemned by San Beda
Rector Aloysius Maranan, Akbayan Youth
Chairperson Marlon Cornelio, and Negros fraternities. Several members of six fraternities gathered at Quezon City
on October 1 to participate in a candlelighting event
and express their sympathies.
Renato Corona
, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, said in a statement that he had already ordered the Supreme Court security, the MPD, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the matter and "to identify the perpetrators of this senseless act of cowardice, and bring them to the bar of justice." He also ordered a review of the security protocol. Task Force Bar Operations 2010 was created to specifically investigate the incident.
After visiting a number of victims two days after the incident, President
Benigno Aquino III
called the attack a "heinous crime", as many of the victims were "preparing for their future as productive citizens of our country." He called for the investigators to make the case their top priority, and for the perpetrator to surrender.
On October 3 the Fraternal Order of Utopia from Ateneo de Manila University
offered a ₱200,000 (US$4,620)-reward to anyone who could present information identifying the perpetrator. Several anonymous donors offered an additional reward of ₱1 million (US$23,100) the next day. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court created an eight-person investigation committee tasked with making a report by October 15.
s, fireworks, Molotov cocktail
s, and fragmentation grenades to be possible causes of the explosion. Reports point to a possible cause of the incident to be a conflict between Alpha Phi Omega
and Tau Gamma Phi
. Armando Macaraeg, chief of the MPD Homicide Division, said that the real targets of the explosion were members of Tau Gamma Phi, and the perpetrator misfired, causing the explosive to hit Alpha Phi Beta members, who were standing nearby.
. The witness said that they were not able to surrender the man to the police, because Lazaga's companions carried guns and threatened to shoot people. Lazaga reportedly filed a mauling complaint.
On September 28 the NBI had three unnamed suspects, and had identified the explosive as a Mk2 grenade. On the same day, NBI questioned Alpha Kappa Rho officials, and expressed interest in summoning other fraternities that were present during the incident. Alpha Kappa Rho President Jojo Del Rosario acknowledged Lazaga's membership in the fraternity, and revealed that Lazaga is a fourth-year law student. He denied Lazaga's involvement in the blast, saying "why would he even complain to the police if he is guilty? He even lost his wallet, was mauled even" (trans). Del Rosario and his group presented pictures of Lazaga with at least 20 law students and professors of the university before the explosion. Lazaga was shown to be wearing a white shirt with a graphic design, contrary to the witness's claim. This theory was no longer pursued when the NBI took over the MPD investigation.
Anthony Leal Nepomuceno, NBI's prime suspect, surrendered to Jejomar Binay
, Vice President of the Philippines
and an APO member, on October 27. At the time, Nepomuceno was a 26-year old call center agent who graduated with a degree in information technology
from Manuel L. Quezon University
; he was also a member of APO. Nepomuceno denied all accusations. APO defended his innocence, and formed a legal team in response to the NBI complaints. He said that he was inside a mall in Marikina at 5 pm buying shoes—at the same time as the bombing—and withdrew money from a bank at 7:30 pm.
Binay insisted that Nepomuceno was innocent. This position was acknowledged by former Department of Justice
(DOJ) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who earlier pledged to help prosecute him if the evidence was strong. Upon the request of DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima
, Binay presented Nepomuceno to the NBI on October 28.
Binay's actions were criticized by several members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
, saying that Binay should have allowed the DOJ and the NBI to finish the investigation before clearing Nepomuceno. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the Office of the President had no intention of distancing Binay from the matter, but clarified that Binay's statements would have no bearing on the investigation.
; his mother intially agreed to convince her son to surrender, but later refused to tell his whereabouts. De Lima clarified that Nepomuceno was merely "invited for questioning and not under arrest", since no charges had been filed yet.
On October 28 the NBI filed to the DOJ numerous complaints of frustrated and attempted murder
against Nepomuceno based on the testimonies that Nepomuceno threw the grenade. Police studied the possibility that the incident was linked to a fraternity rumble in December 2009, when Cromwell Dukha Jr. from APO was fatally stabbed, allegedly by Efraim Lim, a member of Tau Gamma Phi. Both were from San Sebastian College. Filing the complaint paved way for the start of the preliminary investigation by the DOJ. More suspects were being considered by the NBI as of the time of filing the complaints.
On November 10 the DOJ identified two more APO members as suspects. Their names were not revealed. NBI believes that the two are responsible for Nepomuceno's escape during the incident. De Lima said that ongoing investigations on grenade-throwing incidents at La Consolacion College
in 2008 and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA
also suggest APO involvement. The two bombings left 22 and 14 wounded, respectively. She noted an "apparent lack of interest" on the part of the APO leadership to cooperate in the investigation.
On the same day, APO responded:
on April 28, 2011. He was not able to prove that it was physically impossible for him to be present at the time of the bombing, and witnesses were positive that he is the person who threw the grenade. The DOJ said that Nepomuceno's submission of a photocopy of a receipt from a Metrobank
ATM
in Marikina does not prove his claim that he was not at Taft during the bombing, since the time on the receipt was more than two hours after the bombing. The resolution stated:
Nepomuceno submitted testimonies to support his claim, but these were dismissed by Gaerlan. He noted that these were mostly from family, friends, and fellow fraternity members. Nepomuceno accused the DOJ investigation of being "irregular and selective" for disregarding other suspects, and labeled one witnesses' statement as "ill-motivated", since the witness was from a rival fraternity. Gaerlan defended the claims as being "evidentiary in nature."
He faces charges of multiple murder (for almost killing the two amputees), multiple attempted murder, and illegal possession of explosives.
promised to give her prosthetic legs
on her birthday on April 23, 2011. She was released from the Philippine General Hospital
on November 7, 2010.
The 2010 Bar exam was the last to be conducted in De La Salle University. The 2011 exam will be held in the University of Santo Tomas
in November; DLSU ended its contract with the Supreme Court due to construction plans on the campus. Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez denied that the bombing was the reason behind the move; the move had been already planned before the blast. He also said that "necessary security measures" will be in force at UST to prevent an event similar to the 2010 bombing.
Taft Avenue
Taft Avenue is a major street in Metro Manila. It crosses through two major cities of the metro: Manila and Pasay City.-Direction:Taft Avenue starts from Quirino Avenue in Pasay City, then transversing northeast to EDSA, then north to Antonio Arnaiz Avenue , Gil Puyat Avenue , Pedro Gil , and the...
near De La Salle University
De La Salle University
De La Salle University is a private Lasallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director...
(DLSU), located in Malate
Malate, Manila
Malate is an old district of the city of Manila in Metro Manila, the Philippines. The district is located at the southern end of the city of Manila, bordered by Pasay City to the south, by Manila Bay to the west, by the district of Ermita to the north and by the districts of Paco and San Andres to...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines, on September 26, 2010, at 5:05 pm PST
Philippine Standard Time
Philippine Standard Time , also known as Philippine Time , is the official name for the time in the Philippines. The country only has one time zone, the UTC+08:00 time zone. The country used the daylight saving time for a short time...
, a few minutes after Philippine Bar exam
Philippine Bar Examination
The Philippine Bar Examination is the professional licensure examination for lawyers in the Philippines.It is the only professional licensure exam in the country that is not supervised by the Professional Regulation Commission...
inees began exiting DLSU. An Mk2 grenade was thrown at a group of Alpha Phi Beta members from San Beda College
San Beda College
San Beda College or Dalubhasaan ng San Beda in Filipino is a Private Benedictine college run by the Benedictine monks in the Philippines. It is located on Mendiola Street in San Miguel, Manila...
. They were standing near Tau Gamma Phi
Tau Gamma Phi
Tau Gamma Phi also known as the Triskelions' Grand Fraternity, is a fraternity established in the Philippines. Its members call themselves Triskelions. Their aim is to see a Fraternity System devoid of violence, and to earnestly propagate their fraternity's principles as their way of life...
members, whom police believed were the real target of the explosive. This resulted in injuries to 47 people, including two who required amputations.
Jed Carlos Lazaga was initially accused of throwing the grenade, based on information received by the Manila Police District
Manila Police District
The Manila Police District is the agency of the Philippine National Police responsible for law enforcement in the City of Manila. Formerly known as the Western Police District , the MPD is under the National Capital Region Police Office , which also handles the Quezon City, Eastern, Northern and...
(MPD) from an unnamed witness. This theory was later dismissed when the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) took over the case.
Anthony Leal Nepomuceno, NBI's prime suspect and an Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...
(APO) member, surrendered to Jejomar Binay
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay, Sr. , also known as Jojo Binay or VPNay, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines since 2010. Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010...
, Vice President of the Philippines
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
, on October 27. Fellow APO members, Binay, and former Department of Justice
Department of Justice (Philippines)
The Department of Justice , abbreviated as DOJ, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for upholding the rule of law in the Philippines...
(DOJ) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, asserted Nepomuceno's innocence. Binay's actions were criticized by several members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
, who said Nepomuceno was cleared prematurely. The Office of the President stated that it had no intention to distance Binay from the matter, but clarified that Binay's statements would have no bearing in the investigation.
In a 27-page DOJ resolution, prosecutors found Nepomuceno's defense "weak", and recommended his indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
. DOJ charged him with multiple murder charges (for almost killing the two amputees), multiple attempted murder charges, and illegal possession of explosives.
The 2010 Bar exam was the last to be conducted in De La Salle University. The 2011 exam will be held in the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
(UST) in November. The Supreme Court denied that the bombing precipitated the move; the change had already been planned before the blast. It also said that "necessary security measures" will be in force in UST to prevent an event similar to the 2010 bombing.
Background
De La Salle University is a privatePrivate university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
La Sallian university located on a 5.45 ha (13.5 acre) campus in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It faces Taft Avenue, a major thoroughfare named after William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
. DLSU had a population of 888 faculty and 15,779 students in 2009.
The Philippine Bar exams have been held at DLSU since 2002. An average of over 5,000 examinees used its buildings for the test. For the 2010 exam, 5,012 examinees took the test in 121 rooms inside six DLSU buildings. The number of examinees was lower than the 6,080 who took the test in 2009.
Incident and response
The bar exam ended at 5 pm PSTPhilippine Standard Time
Philippine Standard Time , also known as Philippine Time , is the official name for the time in the Philippines. The country only has one time zone, the UTC+08:00 time zone. The country used the daylight saving time for a short time...
. As with tradition, examinees were expected to be greeted by loud noises as they exit DLSU. By 5:05 pm, a loud explosion occurred in the area where supporters for the San Beda College examinees were standing. Tremors were felt as far away as inside the elevated platform of the Vito Cruz LRT Station
Vito Cruz LRT Station
Vito Cruz LRT Station is a station on the Manila LRT Yellow Line . Like all other LRT-1 stations, Vito Cruz station is above-ground. The station serves Malate in Manila and is the first station from Baclaran and the last station from North Avenue to lie within Manila city bounds. The station...
near DLSU. People in the area thought that the noise from the explosion was from fireworks that are a normal part of the post-bar celebrations. A commotion followed as people panicked and ran for safety. A bottle-throwing incident also occurred, according to a police spokesman. The window of a street-side shop was shattered. Glass bottles, broken and intact, were scattered around the area as police evacuated people from the scene. The explosion occurred shortly after a fraternity fight near DLSU.
On the day of the explosion, 34 injuries were reported. This figure rose to 47 two days later. Most of the victims were female and members of Alpha Phi Beta, a fraternity from San Beda. Victims who were identified were from 23 to 28 years old. Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center
Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center
The Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center is a 300-bed non-profit tertiary, general and training hospital in Malate, Manila, Philippines...
received 17 of the injured; nine were taken to the Philippine General Hospital
Philippine General Hospital
The Philippine General Hospital is a tertiary state-owned hospital administered and operated by the University of the Philippines Manila, the University of the Philippines System's Health Sciences Center. It is the largest government hospital administered by the university, and is designated as...
, five to Medical Center Manila
Medical Center Manila
Medical Center Manila, one of Manila's many hospitals, is located in the center of Manila. Its address is: 1125 Gen. Luna St., Ermita, Manila 1000. It is owned by Hospital Management Services, Inc.-History:...
, three to the Manila Doctors Hospital, and one to the Manila Adventist Medical Center
Manila Adventist Medical Center
The Manila Adventist Medical Center, , is an acute care, tertiary, non-stock, non-profit, and self-supporting private hospital that is located with in Pasay City of Metro Manila, Philippines. It was established on 1929 by a missionary doctor - Horace Hall...
. The Manila Police District
Manila Police District
The Manila Police District is the agency of the Philippine National Police responsible for law enforcement in the City of Manila. Formerly known as the Western Police District , the MPD is under the National Capital Region Police Office , which also handles the Quezon City, Eastern, Northern and...
bomb squad rushed to the site of the blast and cordoned off the area to search the debris for parts of the explosive.
Two persons (Raissa Laurel and Joanna Ledda; both women) underwent leg amputations because of their injuries.
Reaction
The bombing was condemned by the Supreme Court of the PhilippinesSupreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
, who called it "an unfortunate incident." The incident was likewise condemned by San Beda
San Beda College
San Beda College or Dalubhasaan ng San Beda in Filipino is a Private Benedictine college run by the Benedictine monks in the Philippines. It is located on Mendiola Street in San Miguel, Manila...
Rector Aloysius Maranan, Akbayan Youth
Akbayan Youth
Akbayan! Youth , or A!Y is a democratic socialist youth formation in the Philippines. It is the youth wing of Akbayan Citizens' Action Party, a progressive and democratically left political party....
Chairperson Marlon Cornelio, and Negros fraternities. Several members of six fraternities gathered at Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
on October 1 to participate in a candlelighting event
Candlelight vigil
A candlelight vigil is an outdoor assembly of people carrying candles, held after sunset. Such events are typically held either to protest the suffering of some marginalized group of people, or in memory of lives lost to some disease, disaster, massacre or other tragedy. In the latter case, the...
and express their sympathies.
Renato Corona
Renato Corona
Renato C. Corona is the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed to the Court on April 9, 2002 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo...
, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, said in a statement that he had already ordered the Supreme Court security, the MPD, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the matter and "to identify the perpetrators of this senseless act of cowardice, and bring them to the bar of justice." He also ordered a review of the security protocol. Task Force Bar Operations 2010 was created to specifically investigate the incident.
After visiting a number of victims two days after the incident, President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
called the attack a "heinous crime", as many of the victims were "preparing for their future as productive citizens of our country." He called for the investigators to make the case their top priority, and for the perpetrator to surrender.
On October 3 the Fraternal Order of Utopia from Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
offered a ₱200,000 (US$4,620)-reward to anyone who could present information identifying the perpetrator. Several anonymous donors offered an additional reward of ₱1 million (US$23,100) the next day. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court created an eight-person investigation committee tasked with making a report by October 15.
Investigation
Initial police reports considered improvised explosive deviceImprovised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
s, fireworks, Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
s, and fragmentation grenades to be possible causes of the explosion. Reports point to a possible cause of the incident to be a conflict between Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...
and Tau Gamma Phi
Tau Gamma Phi
Tau Gamma Phi also known as the Triskelions' Grand Fraternity, is a fraternity established in the Philippines. Its members call themselves Triskelions. Their aim is to see a Fraternity System devoid of violence, and to earnestly propagate their fraternity's principles as their way of life...
. Armando Macaraeg, chief of the MPD Homicide Division, said that the real targets of the explosion were members of Tau Gamma Phi, and the perpetrator misfired, causing the explosive to hit Alpha Phi Beta members, who were standing nearby.
Lazaga accused
MPD received from an unnamed witness, who was slightly injured by the blast, reports of a man in black jacket and white shirt bearing the emblem of Alpha Kappa Rho. This man allegedly threw the explosive from the other side of Taft Avenue, aiming for Tau Gamma Phi members; the throw fell short, hitting the San Beda students instead. People went after the alleged bomber and cornered him. Identification found on the man indicated he was Jed Carlo Lazaga of University of San Jose–Recoletos in CebuCebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
. The witness said that they were not able to surrender the man to the police, because Lazaga's companions carried guns and threatened to shoot people. Lazaga reportedly filed a mauling complaint.
On September 28 the NBI had three unnamed suspects, and had identified the explosive as a Mk2 grenade. On the same day, NBI questioned Alpha Kappa Rho officials, and expressed interest in summoning other fraternities that were present during the incident. Alpha Kappa Rho President Jojo Del Rosario acknowledged Lazaga's membership in the fraternity, and revealed that Lazaga is a fourth-year law student. He denied Lazaga's involvement in the blast, saying "why would he even complain to the police if he is guilty? He even lost his wallet, was mauled even" (trans). Del Rosario and his group presented pictures of Lazaga with at least 20 law students and professors of the university before the explosion. Lazaga was shown to be wearing a white shirt with a graphic design, contrary to the witness's claim. This theory was no longer pursued when the NBI took over the MPD investigation.
Identification and surrender to Binay
On October 19 the NBI released an artist's sketch of the suspect and several other details. The suspect was said to be a 20- to 25-year old male of medium build 5 in 6 in (1.68 m) to 5 in 7 in (1.7 m) in height and weighing 60–65 kg (132.3–143.3 lb). The suspect was given one week to surrender.Anthony Leal Nepomuceno, NBI's prime suspect, surrendered to Jejomar Binay
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay, Sr. , also known as Jojo Binay or VPNay, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines since 2010. Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010...
, Vice President of the Philippines
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
and an APO member, on October 27. At the time, Nepomuceno was a 26-year old call center agent who graduated with a degree in information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
from Manuel L. Quezon University
Manuel L. Quezon University
The Manuel L. Quezon University is a private university in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines. It is a member of the Colleges and Universities Sports Association . It offers academic programs at the pre-school, elementary, high school, tertiary, and graduate levels. It is named for Philippine president...
; he was also a member of APO. Nepomuceno denied all accusations. APO defended his innocence, and formed a legal team in response to the NBI complaints. He said that he was inside a mall in Marikina at 5 pm buying shoes—at the same time as the bombing—and withdrew money from a bank at 7:30 pm.
Binay insisted that Nepomuceno was innocent. This position was acknowledged by former Department of Justice
Department of Justice (Philippines)
The Department of Justice , abbreviated as DOJ, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for upholding the rule of law in the Philippines...
(DOJ) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who earlier pledged to help prosecute him if the evidence was strong. Upon the request of DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima
Leila De Lima
Leila Magistrado De Lima is the secretary of Philippine Department of Justice under the Administration of President Noynoy Aquino...
, Binay presented Nepomuceno to the NBI on October 28.
Binay's actions were criticized by several members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
, saying that Binay should have allowed the DOJ and the NBI to finish the investigation before clearing Nepomuceno. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the Office of the President had no intention of distancing Binay from the matter, but clarified that Binay's statements would have no bearing on the investigation.
NBI actions
De Lima said that Nepomuceno matches the artist's sketch and the description given earlier, and the evidence against him is strong, as the NBI has at least 17 witnesses. She revealed that an NBI team had earlier gone to Nepomuceno's mother in MarinduqueMarinduque
In 1945, combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops attacked from the Japanese Troops liberated to the Battle of Marinduque in the Second World War.-Archaeology:...
; his mother intially agreed to convince her son to surrender, but later refused to tell his whereabouts. De Lima clarified that Nepomuceno was merely "invited for questioning and not under arrest", since no charges had been filed yet.
On October 28 the NBI filed to the DOJ numerous complaints of frustrated and attempted murder
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
against Nepomuceno based on the testimonies that Nepomuceno threw the grenade. Police studied the possibility that the incident was linked to a fraternity rumble in December 2009, when Cromwell Dukha Jr. from APO was fatally stabbed, allegedly by Efraim Lim, a member of Tau Gamma Phi. Both were from San Sebastian College. Filing the complaint paved way for the start of the preliminary investigation by the DOJ. More suspects were being considered by the NBI as of the time of filing the complaints.
On November 10 the DOJ identified two more APO members as suspects. Their names were not revealed. NBI believes that the two are responsible for Nepomuceno's escape during the incident. De Lima said that ongoing investigations on grenade-throwing incidents at La Consolacion College
La Consolacion College Manila
La Consolacion College, Manila, Philippines, is a private Catholic institution in the university belt in front of College of the Holy Spirit and beside Centro Escolar University...
in 2008 and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA
University of Perpetual Help System DALTA
The University of Perpetual Help System DALTA is a co-educational and non-sectarian university. It offers courses in pre-school, elementary, secondary and the tertiary and graduate levels; as well as short vocational, technical and special courses.-History:...
also suggest APO involvement. The two bombings left 22 and 14 wounded, respectively. She noted an "apparent lack of interest" on the part of the APO leadership to cooperate in the investigation.
On the same day, APO responded:
Indictment
In a 27-page resolution signed by Prosecutor Gerardo Gaerlan and Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon, DOJ found Nepomuceno's defense to be "weak", and recommended for his indictmentIndictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
on April 28, 2011. He was not able to prove that it was physically impossible for him to be present at the time of the bombing, and witnesses were positive that he is the person who threw the grenade. The DOJ said that Nepomuceno's submission of a photocopy of a receipt from a Metrobank
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company
The Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company , commonly known as Metrobank. It has a diverse offering of financial services, from regular banking to insurance. Metrobank is the second largest bank in the Philippines.-History:...
ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
in Marikina does not prove his claim that he was not at Taft during the bombing, since the time on the receipt was more than two hours after the bombing. The resolution stated:
Nepomuceno submitted testimonies to support his claim, but these were dismissed by Gaerlan. He noted that these were mostly from family, friends, and fellow fraternity members. Nepomuceno accused the DOJ investigation of being "irregular and selective" for disregarding other suspects, and labeled one witnesses' statement as "ill-motivated", since the witness was from a rival fraternity. Gaerlan defended the claims as being "evidentiary in nature."
He faces charges of multiple murder (for almost killing the two amputees), multiple attempted murder, and illegal possession of explosives.
Aftermath
Raissa Laurel, a 23-year old law student from San Sebastian College who lost both her legs due to the event, was given an award for her "courage and strength" by People Asia on its 11th anniversary on January 10. The award was presented by President Benigno Aquino III. Meanwhile, Chief Justice Renato Corona of the Supreme Court pledged to personally administer Laurel's oath-taking once she passes the bar. He promised that the Supreme Court will hire her when she recovers. Nippon FoundationNippon Foundation
is a private, non-profit grant-making organization. It was established in 1962 by Ryoichi Sasakawa, the late statesman and businessman who, following World War II, was accused, albeit not convicted, of class A war crimes...
promised to give her prosthetic legs
Prosthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
on her birthday on April 23, 2011. She was released from the Philippine General Hospital
Philippine General Hospital
The Philippine General Hospital is a tertiary state-owned hospital administered and operated by the University of the Philippines Manila, the University of the Philippines System's Health Sciences Center. It is the largest government hospital administered by the university, and is designated as...
on November 7, 2010.
The 2010 Bar exam was the last to be conducted in De La Salle University. The 2011 exam will be held in the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
in November; DLSU ended its contract with the Supreme Court due to construction plans on the campus. Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez denied that the bombing was the reason behind the move; the move had been already planned before the blast. He also said that "necessary security measures" will be in force at UST to prevent an event similar to the 2010 bombing.
See also
- 2005 University of Oklahoma bombing2005 University of Oklahoma bombingThe 2005 University of Oklahoma bombing occurred on October 1, 2005 at approximately 7:30 p.m. CDT, when a bomb went off near the George Lynn Cross Hall on Van Vleet Oval on the University of Oklahoma main campus. The blast took place less than 200 yards west of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, where...
- 2009 International Islamic University bombing2009 International Islamic University bombingAt least six people, including three women, were killed, and as many as 29 people injured, 25 of them women, in twin suicide attacks at International Islamic University, Islamabad in the Pakistani capital Islamabad. Police say the blasts at the university were caused by suicide bombers...
- Sterling Hall bombingSterling Hall bombingThe Sterling Hall Bombing that occurred on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus on August 24, 1970 was committed by four young people as a protest against the University's research connections with the US military during the Vietnam War...