Zamboanga blast victim lands in jail for assault

ZAMBOANGA CITY — One of 14 people wounded in the Oct. 20 blast at the Fort Pilar Shrine here landed in jail after he assaulted two policemen who prevented him from leaving the hospital where he was confined.

Some witnesses to the explosion tagged the blast victim, Jamalul Norting, 39, as a suspect, but Chief Inspector Antonio Clarito, spokesman of the city police, said there was no evidence to back this up.

Police said Norting, who suffered shrapnel wounds in the blast, tried to escape last Wednesday from the Zamboanga City Medical Center.

But two law enforcers guarding him at Ward 2, prevented him from escaping. He attacked them with a broken bottle but was subdued.

He was charged with direct assault at the sala of Judge Abdul—wahid Alpha who committed him to the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center after failing to pay P12,000 bail. — Roel Pareño