Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Hendardji Soepandji said Friday he would not give lawmakers the names of people probed in connection with an illegal arms stash.
"We will not reveal their names. I will protect the witnesses," he told reporters after a ceremony honoring the transfer of the position of Army Special Forces commander from Maj. Gen. Syaiful Rizal to Maj. Gen. Rashid Qurnuen Aquary, in Cijantung, East Jakarta.
The House of Representatives' Commission I on defense and foreign affairs is scheduled to meet with Hendardji, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Air Chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto on Sept. 8.
Hendardji said he would provide all the information gathered in the investigation, however, and try to answer all the questions posed by legislators.
A number of legislators have called for an official report from the military about the probe into the case of the arms stash found at the house of the late Brig. Gen. Koesmayadi. They have threatened to launch a House inquiry into the scandal, should the report fail to reflect a thorough and transparent investigation.
The military announced its findings on Aug. 9, saying 11 people, including Koesmayadi and his son-in-law, were possible suspects.
Army chief Gen. Djoko Santoso similarly refused to divulge the names of the remaining nine possible suspects. The total of eleven possible suspects consists of eight servicemen and three civilians. They were among 129 people questioned about the stash.
TNI commander Air Chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto reported the results of the investigation to Commission I in an informal meeting in Cilangkap on Aug. 14. Some legislators criticized the informal meeting, saying it did not involve all commission members.
Commission members I Dedy Djamaludin Malik and Ade Daud Nasution said the military must clearly inform the public about those involved in the case and the motives behind the illegal stash. Dedy and Ade accused the military's investigation of being merely superficial, saying it was biased toward blaming only Koemayadi and his subordinates.
The investigation found the arms illegally stockpiled by Koesmayadi were for his personal collection and did not have any political significance. The deceased Army officer had an obsession with establishing an arms museum, investigators said.
The added that 43 of the 185 arms stashed at Koesmayadi's home were found and purchased at his own initiative and that the procurements did not follow standard procedures.