MikeLigalig.com

By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net

A law school official cautioned police to “observe fairness” and prudence as she defended a student suspected of being behind Sunday’s blast in Manila as “innocent.”

“I went here to clarify reports branding
our student Jed Carlo Lazaga to be a suspect in last Sunday’s blast,” lawyer Elaine Bathan, assistant law dean of the Cebu-based University of San Jose Recoletos Law School.

“In fact, we believe he is innocent because during that time he was ganged up by a group of men and even robbed him of his belongings, including his wallet,” Bathan said.

Police said a witness identified Lazaga as the one who hurled the grenade near the De La Salle University along Taft Avenue in Manila, hurting 44 people, mostly law students who were in festive mood as it was the last day of their month-long Bar examinations.

Bathan said police should refrain from prematurely revealing results of their investigation.

“We had heard the explanation of the Manila Police District official that the reports came out were still premature as their investigation is still on going. Please be careful in revealing facts and observe fairness,” she told reporters.

She said Lazaga even reported the incident to the police.

Police earlier revealed that a man wearing a fraternity t-shirt of Alpha Kappa Rho (AKHRO) was seen by witnesses as the one who threw the explosive device.

Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla, the MPD officer-in-charge, on Monday the grenade attack fell short of its target, the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity, and instead landed on a festive crowd of San Beda College law students, particularly members of the Alpha Phi Beta fraternity and sorority.

But Tau Gamma Phi head Corky Pallares brushed off this police theory, saying they were not at odds with any fraternity.


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