A very strong explosion rocked the south wing of the Batasan Complex, Capitol Hill, Quezon City just after the session of the members of the House of Representatives at eight o’clock in the evening of Tuesday, November 13, 2007.
After the blast, Marcial Taldo, driver of Gabriela partylist Representative Luzviminda Ilagan was found dead inside the Congresswoman’s car in front of the south wing lobby of the Batasan. The congresswoman herself was badly wounded on her leg and back by shrapnel. She was taken to the Malvar Hospital for treatment. She is now out of danger in St. Lukes Hospital, QC.
Due to the explosion, 8 others were wounded including Congressman Wahab Akbar, 47 of Basilan. He was brought to the FEU Hospital, Fairview, Quezon City where he expired two hours after the blast.
Congressman Akbar’s dead body was immediately airlifted to Isabela City at dawn of Wednesday, November 14 where he will have his final resting place in accordance with the muslim tradition. His body was buried in Basilan in the afternoon of November 14 as a dead muslim must be buried within 24 hours after his/her death.
The late congressman used to be a member of the Abbu Sayaff. He returned to the folds of the law, became governor of Basilan for three terms and then congressman. His first wife succeeded him as governor of Basilan while his second wife is the present mayor of Isabela City. Moreover, almost all political leaders who occupy positions in the local government units of Basilan are the nearest relatives of the late congressman Akbar.
According to witnesses, Congressman Akbar was on the last step of the Batasan stair when a bomb exploded believed placed in a motorcycle parked in front of the Batasan lobby. The car with the driver inside of Congressman Akbar was very near the explosion. Beside Akbar’s car was the car of Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan who was also going down the stairs near Akbar when the explosion occurred.
Congressman Cong. Henry Teves of Negros Oriental was badly injured. He suffered face burn and fractured bone. He was brought to St. Luke’s Hospital, Quezon City. Ms. Maan Bustalino, staff member of Cong. Teves and Julasiri Hayudini, staff of Cong. Akbar were badly injured: they died later.
Moreover, the explosion damaged four (4) expensive vehicles and ripped off the ceiling of the Batasan south wing lobby.
“I was lucky, I had left a few minutes before the explosion, “House Speaker Jose de Venecia said as monitored during a radio interview. According to him, he was about two kilometers away from the Batasan and 14 kilometers away from his house when he was informed of the explosion. He instantly went back to the Batasan to check what happened. “There are many threats against us personally, against some members of the House,” he disclosed.
Life Must Go On
Asked who was behind the bombing, de Venecia replied, “only a terrorist would explode a bomb. Normal session would continue tomorrow as the incident could be an attempt to destabilize the country. The bombing could have been done by a terrorist, anarchist or extremist,” said de Venecia. He condemned the bombing as a dastardly act to its highest term. (By Ambrosio R. Villorente) /MP
After the blast, Marcial Taldo, driver of Gabriela partylist Representative Luzviminda Ilagan was found dead inside the Congresswoman’s car in front of the south wing lobby of the Batasan. The congresswoman herself was badly wounded on her leg and back by shrapnel. She was taken to the Malvar Hospital for treatment. She is now out of danger in St. Lukes Hospital, QC.
Due to the explosion, 8 others were wounded including Congressman Wahab Akbar, 47 of Basilan. He was brought to the FEU Hospital, Fairview, Quezon City where he expired two hours after the blast.
Congressman Akbar’s dead body was immediately airlifted to Isabela City at dawn of Wednesday, November 14 where he will have his final resting place in accordance with the muslim tradition. His body was buried in Basilan in the afternoon of November 14 as a dead muslim must be buried within 24 hours after his/her death.
The late congressman used to be a member of the Abbu Sayaff. He returned to the folds of the law, became governor of Basilan for three terms and then congressman. His first wife succeeded him as governor of Basilan while his second wife is the present mayor of Isabela City. Moreover, almost all political leaders who occupy positions in the local government units of Basilan are the nearest relatives of the late congressman Akbar.
According to witnesses, Congressman Akbar was on the last step of the Batasan stair when a bomb exploded believed placed in a motorcycle parked in front of the Batasan lobby. The car with the driver inside of Congressman Akbar was very near the explosion. Beside Akbar’s car was the car of Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan who was also going down the stairs near Akbar when the explosion occurred.
Congressman Cong. Henry Teves of Negros Oriental was badly injured. He suffered face burn and fractured bone. He was brought to St. Luke’s Hospital, Quezon City. Ms. Maan Bustalino, staff member of Cong. Teves and Julasiri Hayudini, staff of Cong. Akbar were badly injured: they died later.
Moreover, the explosion damaged four (4) expensive vehicles and ripped off the ceiling of the Batasan south wing lobby.
“I was lucky, I had left a few minutes before the explosion, “House Speaker Jose de Venecia said as monitored during a radio interview. According to him, he was about two kilometers away from the Batasan and 14 kilometers away from his house when he was informed of the explosion. He instantly went back to the Batasan to check what happened. “There are many threats against us personally, against some members of the House,” he disclosed.
Life Must Go On
Asked who was behind the bombing, de Venecia replied, “only a terrorist would explode a bomb. Normal session would continue tomorrow as the incident could be an attempt to destabilize the country. The bombing could have been done by a terrorist, anarchist or extremist,” said de Venecia. He condemned the bombing as a dastardly act to its highest term. (By Ambrosio R. Villorente) /MP
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