ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A witness in the August 5 bombing at the Zamboanga City airport has retracted his testimony, claiming that Sulu Gov. Abdu Sakur Tan paid him to implicate former congressman Munir Arbison.

Ilarde Sawadjaan, a native of Maimbung municipality, submitted his second affidavit before the Zamboanga City Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday.

Sawadaan retracted his previous testimony, implicating Arbison and former mayors Ahmad Nanoh and Nnajib Maldiza of Pangutaran and Maimbung towns, respectively.

The supposed witness also retracted his testimony made against the 2 sons of Arbison -- Jojo Adam and Musimar Alih -- former Sulu assemblyman Maulana Omar and former district engineer Munir Hadjirul.

In his second testimony, Sawadjaan alleged that Tan convinced him to make fabricated accusations against Arbison and the others.

Atty. Bienvenido Orbillo, first assistant city prosecutor, said that Sadjawaan claimed in his second affidavit that Tan paid him P200,000 after he signed and submitted his testimony against Arbison and the others.

Second witness bribed, too?

Also on Wednesday, an uncle of another supposed witness in the bombing at the Zamboanga City International Airport also submitted an affidavit before the prosecutor's office, disputing the testimony of his nephew.

The second witness also pinned Arbison, the 2 former mayors and the former congressman's sons to the airport bombing, which, police believe, was an assassination attempt against Tan.

Tan was among the 20 people hurt in the blast. Two persons, including the man carrying a backpack where the bomb was placed, died.

The witness' uncle, who did not want to be named for security reasons, said his nephew could have been also bribed by Tan to make a false testimony.

He said Tan also tried to recruit him to become a "witness" against Arbison and the others.

In a phone interview, Tan denied the allegations of the second witness' uncle. He said the uncle was the one who actually offered himself to be a “witness” for a “huge amount of money.”

Tan also denied Sawadjaan's allegations.

Despite Sawadjaan's retraction, the governor still believes that the police case against Arbison and the others would be brought to court by the prosecutor's office.

City Prosecutor Ricardo Cabaron has created a special panel of prosecutors to closely and carefully evaluate the case.

The panel has been studying the affidavits of Sawadjaan and the second witness' uncle. The panel has refused to give hints at how the latest affidavits would affect the case.