SP/Asnie Ovier – A top regional military commander who had initially denied the fact that the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) members were involved in an attack on Cebongan Prison in Sleman, Yogyakarta, has been dismissed from his duties.
"Diponegoro regional military commander Maj. Gen. Hardiono Saroso has been officially relieved of his duties. He will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Sunindyo [and] the inauguration will be conducted on Monday," a source said on Saturday.
The source declined to confirm if Hardiono's dismissal was directly related to the March 23 prison attack in which 11 masked gunmen, later determined to be the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) members, stormed the Cebongan Prison in Sleman, Yogyakarta, and executed four detainees. Two prison wardens, Widiatmoko and Nugroho Putro, were hospitalized for injuries after the gunmen attacked them as well.
The four dead suspects – Hendrik Angel Sahetapi, 31; Yohanes Juan, 38; Gameliel Yermianto Rohi Riwu, 29; and Adrianus Candra Galaja, 33 – had been arrested by Sleman police several days before the incident for allegedly killing First Sgt. Heru Santosa, a Kopassus member, and stabbing First. Sgt. Sriyono earlier that week.
However, Hardiono was quick to deny his subordinates' involvement in the prison attack. "It wasn't the TNI. No soldiers were involved," he said just after the attack.
Brig. Gen. Rukman Ahmad, an Army spokesman, said Hardiono was replaced for the sake of the internal investigation of the case, but he declined to elaborate.
Indonesian Army Brig. Gen. Unggul K. Yudhoyono, head of the investigative team, on Thursday said the attack was indeed carried out by Kopassus members who were seeking for a revenge for the death of their comrade.
Earlier on Friday, Yogyakarta Police Chief Brig. Gen. Sabar Rahardjo was also relieved of his duties. The move apparently followed the discovery of his order to transfer four detainees from the provincial police headquarters to a less secure jail in Sleman district where they were later killed.
National Police Deputy Chief Comr. Gen. Nanan Sukarna said on Friday Sabar would be replaced by Brig. Gen. Haka. Astana.
A source at the National Police headquarters said the Yogyakarta Police had information that a group of Kopassus members planned to attack the Yogyakarta Police compound to take revenge against the four detainees.
Fearing his office would become a target of an attack by the Army's elite squad, Sabar transferred the detainees.
"Sabar is considered to have made a mistake by transferring the detainees. He should have informed the National Police chief, and we could have sent reinforcements – such as Brimob [police Mobile Brigade] members – to strengthen the Yogyakarta police," the source said.