2007 Batasang Pambansa bombing

2007 Batasang Pambansa bombing
Location	Quezon City, Philippines
Date	13 November 2007
Target	Batasang Pambansa
Attack type	Car bomb
Deaths	3
Perpetrators	Unknown: legal proceedings have not yet taken place.

A part of the Philippine Batasang Pambansa (National Assembly) south wing, which houses the House of Representatives, exploded on the night of November 13, 2007. The building, which is located in northeastern Quezon City exploded with witnesses saying that "the ground shook and parts of the ceiling collapsed and chunks of the facade were dislodged."

House Speaker Jose de Venecia said that "There is a bomb that exploded in the South Wing of the Batasan complex" on a radio interview. Representatives were inside the building when the explosion occurred, right after the session ended; they were not allowed to leave the building.

One person, Marcial Talbo, a staff member of Congresswoman Luz Ilagan of the Gabriela party-list was killed on the spot while Ilagan, Congressmen Henry Teves of Negros Oriental, Wahab Akbar of Basilan and 2 others were wounded. Talbo's body was recovered inside Ilagan's car.

De Venecia has since ordered for a clean sweep of the Batasan premises to eliminate other probable bombs while Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon was ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to personally supervise the investigation of the explosion.

Congressman Wahab Akbar died in the hospital due to injuries sustained in the blast, he was 47 years old. Congressman Teves severely damaged both his eardrums, apparently disabling his hearing. Earlier report said that his leg would require amputation due to the blast, but later revoked upon the doctor's decision that some medicine could do the healing of the wounded legislator's leg.

Congress' agenda for the week

On November 4, the House Committee on Justice dominated by pro-Arroyo lawmakers declared as "sufficient in form" the three-page impeachment complaint against President Arroyo filed by lawyer Robert Pulido. On November 6, the committee will then deliberate if the complaint (due to the National Broadband Network controversy) is "sufficient in substance." Since the complaint was declared "sufficient in form," it is now considered as an impeachment proceeding; only one impeachment proceeding is allowed by the constitution, if the committee declares the complaint "insufficient in substance," it will give Arroyo an immunity from impeachment for a year. De Venecia said that the committee will meet as scheduled for Wednesday.

Also occurring on Wednesday is the Senate's hearing on the bribery scandal that occurred in the presidential palace. The Senate meets in Pasay City, on the western part of Metro Manila.

The explosion

The legislative session had just ended, and lawmakers were leaving the building when the blast struck at 8:15 p.m. Marcial Tando, driver of Gabriela party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, who died on the spot in Ilagan's car. Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar, the apparent target of the blast, was rushed to the Far East University hospital in Quezon City where he was declared dead.

Another fatality was Maan Gale Bustalino, an aide of Rep. Henry Teves.

Police believe the explosive device was planted on a nearby motorcycle.

Injuries

• Congressman Pryde Henry Teves, Negros Oriental representative
• Congresswoman Luzviminda Ilagan, Gabriela party-list representative
• Ismael Lim
• Ver Garcia
• Kim Harhan Indanan
• Denis Manila
• Nulasiri Hayugini