PNP: Taxi driver who?
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) confirmed yesterday that they have not come up with something out of the recent development regarding the bombing incident at Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas’ bakeshop last March 8.
ICPO officer-in-charge Senior Supt. Dennis Basngi explained that they could not do a follow-up investigation on claims of a taxi driver that the security guard of Carlos Bakeshop and Cafe was responsible for the grenade blast.
During the incident, Carlo Ganancial, 29, of Auto Responsibility Agency and resident of Brgy. Pandac, Pavia, Iloilo, suffered minor injuries.
“We have not received any official report. We have not been furnished with the affidavit of the taxi driver,” Basngi said.
After the report broke out, the city police chief said that he coordinated with the task group that investigates on the incident.
But task group commander Senior Supt. Melchor Fajardo of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) VI claimed that they have yet to secure a copy.
“We still have to check the veracity of the report. Without the said affidavit, we could not know if that taxi driver really exists,” he added.
Recently, lawyer Eugenio Original claimed that he has the copy of the affidavit of the taxi driver, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, who claimed that Ganancial was responsible for the explosion.
“Basically, ang iya point is naglupok ang Granada tungod nga aksidente ukon disgrasya kay ginhampangan sang security guard,” he added.
Original is running for city councillor under the ticket of Cong. Raul Gonzalez, Jr., the opponent of Treñas for the city’s lone congressional seat.
The lawyer explained that it took almost a month for the cabbie to come out because he did not want to get involved.
Incidentally, the incident was allegedly known after supporters of Gonzalez rode on his taxi and came to know what happened.
The undisclosed supporters allegedly urged him to reveal what he knew.
“There is no specific purpose on that affidavit but just to preserve the statement of the taxi driver who saw the incident,” Original said.
He added that politics has nothing to do with the incident since he has no personal issue with the mayor.
“I have never had personal attack on Mayor Treñas. Ang ginahambal ko lang kung ano ang iya nahimu-an kag wala nagimu-an in comparison with Cong. Gonzalez,” he added.
Meanwhile, Treñas was puzzled by the sudden interest of the case.
“If they could think they could fool the people, I think the Ilonggo people are more intelligent than they are,” he added.
The mayor did not believe that Ganancial was responsible for the incident.
Instead, Treñas claimed, “Mangamuyo na lang ko para kay Original kay bal-an niyo nagkadto ang aton Mahal Diyos para magluwas sa aton original sin.”
