THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 11 said it will check on the report that Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano withheld information on the recent Valentine's Day bombings in the cities of Manila, Davao and General Santos.
"Dapat makipagtulungan siya sa police kung may nalalaman siya (He should cooperate with the police if he knows something)," said CIDG 11 chief Superintendent Jose Pante, who just knew about the report from the reporters' inquiries.
Meanwhile, Councilors Emmanuel D. Galicia Sr. and Leonardo R. Avila III said that Emano should be invited for investigation if indeed he holds information essential in the ongoing investigation of the bombing incidents on Valentine's Day.
"He maybe able to shed vital information to the police and will help in the eventual arrest of the bombing suspects," Galicia said.
Avila said that if the report is true, then Emano is "harboring terrorists by asking concessions from them."
"He should be investigated. It's like telling criminals that it is okay for them to do their crimes in other places provided his properties are not touched. It is downright selfish and insensitive. I wonder how he feels about the 12-year-old boy that died during the explosion," Avila said.
Sun.Star Cagayan earlier reported that Emano admitted in an interview over a local radio station that he had prior knowledge of the bombing incidents in the cities of Manila, Davao and General Santos on Valentine's Day.
"I had prior knowledge of the bombings. In fact, our city and the city of Iligan were included in their list, but I pleaded (with them) not to include our city. With knees bended on the ground, head tilt toward heaven, hands crossed in pleading that our city be spared," Emano reportedly said in the dialect during the February 17 interview over DXIF Bombo Radio.
The transcripts of the interview are reportedly being prepared already for the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame to start the inquiry with Emano.