PHILIPPINE NEWS SERVICE — POLICE are checking a report that the mastermind behind the assassination of Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar offered Abu Sayyaf bombers a P10 million reward to kill the lawmaker, sources learned yesterday.
“That’s the report we have received but we’re validating it. What we have is an admission from one of the captured suspects that they receive some small amount of money to finance their trip from Mindanao to Manila and the purchase of the bomb parts in Zamboanga City and Quiapo, Manila,” a highly-reliable source said on condition of anonymity.
Other sources also said investigators are looking into the theory that the bombers bought two motorcycles to be used in the “kill Akbar plot.” Had the Batasang Pambansa bombing last November 13 failed to kill Akbar, the suspects would have used a second motorcycle bomb to kill Akbar in his house located in a subdivision in Pasig City.
On Monday evening, combined agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Manila Police District and the Army’s Intelligence Security Group led by Chief Supt. Roberto L .Rosales and Senior Supt. Asher A. Dolina searched a lodging house in San Andres, Manila where they found some evidence that tested positive for nitrates.
At least two suspects were taken in for questioning during the raid and one of them is undergoing interrogation after he also tested positive for nitrates when subjected to some laboratory procedures.
The other suspect, said to be an ex-mayor of a Basilan town, was released for lack of evidence.
The evidence recovered inside the Don Pepe’s Lodging House located at San Andres, Malate include parts of a motorcycle, goggles, a helmet, shirts and jackets believed belonging to some of the suspects who stayed inside the inn for some time while they were plotting to kill Akbar.