Baseless Accusations

APO fratmen tagged in 2 earlier grenade blasts
By Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 11/09/2010 12:47 PM | Updated as of 11/09/2010 1:11 PM

Tweet

MANILA, Philippines - Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fratmen were behind two previous grenade-throwing incidents in Metro Manila: one in La Consolacion College on March 2008 that left 22 people injured and another in Perpetual College Las Pinas in March this year, which left at least 14 injured.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters that this is what surfaced in an National Bureau of Investigation(NBI) investigation of the 2 incidents, which remain unresolved.

De Lima has ordered the NBI to determine whether these two explosions are connected to the September 26 post-bar exams blast that left some 50 people injured, mostly law students.

She said the 3 suspects in the Bar exams blast - Anthony Leal Nepomuceno, already charged with Multiple Frustrated Murder and Multiple Attempted Murder, and two others at-large - are APO fratmen.

"The authors of these grenade-throwing incidents are connected. Yan ang lumalabas ngayon sa imbestigasyon ng NBI. May I just say it for now, they are connected," de Lima said.

Asked by reporters if those behind the La Consolacion and Perpetual College explosions were also members of APO, de Lima said: "Yes. Dito sa ongoing ano(investigation)... puro APO yan. Interconnected yung incidents."
The justice chief however stressed that the investigation has not zeroed in just yet on the fraternity war angle on these two previous incidents.
"We don't want to emphasize the frat war angle. For now we don't want to be emphasizing or highlighting the frat war angle para maiwasan retaliatory actions," de Lima said.