PHILIPPINE NEWS SERVICE — A CAPTURED suspect in the Batasan Pambansa bombing used to work at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Centennial Terminal 2 in Pasay City, giving rise to speculations the Abu Sayyaf Group has been recruiting insiders that could help them carry out their planned terror attacks.
During interrogation, Adham Kusain, 21, confessed he worked as a building attendant at the NAIA Centennial Terminal after he arrived in Manila in March 2005 from Tipo-Tipo, Basilan. Kusain also confessed that before the raid, he learned from the slain suspects they were behind the bombing at the Batasan.
He said that he used to stay at no. 52 Almaciga Street, Northview I, Filinvest Batasan Quezon City owned by former Basilan congressman Gerry Salapuddin who he said is a close friend of his father Ahmad.
Kusain said it was Salapuddin who sent him to a computer science school before recommending him for a job at the NAIA Centennial Terminal 2.
Kusain said he went to the suspected Abu Sayaf hideout in Violago Homes Park Woods, Barangay Payatas B, Q.C. last Nov. 14 after one of the three slain suspects identified as Redwan Indama sent him a text message the day before asking him to get the payment for his Honda XRM with plate no. IE-2549, the same motorcycle used to bomb the south wing of the House of Representatives killing Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar and three others and wounding 12 more.
The suspect said he allowed Indama to get his motorcycle without paying for it since he knew him personally. He said Indama was with a companion named Bong when he (Indama) took the motorcycle from him promising to pay him P50,000 or give him another brand-new motorcycle.
Kusain confirmed police claims that he, Ikram Indama and Kaidar Aunal were surprised by heavily-armed police officers and quickly whisked away from the house in Bgy. Payatas. That was followed by bursts of gunfire, he said.
He even claimed he heard one officer shouting, “May tama ako (I’m been shot),” before successive shots rang out from the 2nd floor of the house.