De Lima slams APO for calling her a 'fortune-teller'

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima accused yesterday the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) of “lack of civility and lack of professionalism” for calling her a “fortune-teller” when she linked the fraternity to two grenade attacks in two different schools in Metro Manila.

Speaking to reporters, De Lima said Ferdie Ramos, a former newspaperman and APO senior member, has become desperate in his statements.

“We don’t want the investigation to be sidetracked by these insulting comments. What’s important for us at this point is to pinpoint completely who were behind these three explosions and have a complete picture,” she said.

Ramos has questioned De Lima’s action of linking two APO members in the explosion at La Consolacion College in Manila in 2008 and at the University of Perpetual Help in Las Piñas City last March.

He said they have checked their ranks and found that none of their members were involved in the incidents.

“If the DOJ will not name names, what will we do?” he asked. “Do we hold a raffle among our 150,000 members and surrender the two unlucky members whose names will be drawn?”

De Lima has urged APO to surrender the suspects, just as they did with Anthony Nepomuceno, the primary suspect in the grenade attack outside De La Salle University in Manila on the last day of the Bar examinations last Sept. 26.

De Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation has the names of the suspects but she would reveal them “in due time.”