Bomber nabbed in Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Authorities here arrested on Wednesday night the suspect in a bombing incident in Digos City three years ago.

Inspector Rolando Dillera, head of the intelligence unit of the Kidapawan City police, identified the suspect as Muhammid Nur, 22, who is also known as Medz in Nuangan village, where he was arrested around 10 p.m.

Nur is now under the custody of Digos police after he was turned over by Kidapawan police on Thursday.

Nur, according to Dillera, is a known personality in the Al Khobar, an extortion ring operating in Central Mindanao.

Among their targets were buses plying Cotabato-Davao highway owned by the Peoples' Transport, Metro Shuttle Bus Company, Yellow Bus Lines, and Rural Transit.

Dillera led the arrest of Nur after a tip from his informant in the area.

"We did a week-long surveillance of Nur. He acted like he's a free man... going to public places without thinking he has a warrant for his arrest," said Dillera.

But Nur, when he was collared inside his hideout in Nuangan village, never resisted arrest.

Dillera said that during the investigation, Nur admitted having participated in the July 2008 bombing in a bus terminal in Digos City that injured several passengers, including bystanders and vendors.

When media, however, interviewed Nur, he vehemently denied the accusation.

Nur said he was on a field trip in Digos City on the day the improvised explosive device (IED) exploded inside the terminal.

"I was with my schoolmates when the bombing happened," said Nur.

The suspect is facing charges of multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, and multiple attempted murder in relation to the Digos City bombing.

The arrest of Nur was the second since June.

Last Wednesday, a 61-year-old suspected bomber was arrested in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat while he was onboard a bus heading towards North Cotabato.

Recovered from the suspect identified as Mantuga Mokammad Tumagantang was an IED, according to Sr. Supt, Cornelio Salinas, head of the North Cotabato provincial police office.

The arrest of Tumagantang led authorities in North Cotabato to strengthen its surveillance and monitoring of lawless groups operating in the region. (With BOT)