Monday, October 13, 2008 Threat sent to judge puts police on alert
POLICE forces are on alert after a Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge in Mandaue City received a letter about an alleged plan by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to bomb the city’s Court of Justice at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
Supt. Jonathan Abella, chief of the Criminal Intelligence Branch (CIB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), ordered all intelligence officers of the 11 police stations, special units and traffic patrol group to impose strict security measures.
Senior Supt. Drusillo Bolodo, deputy regional director for operations, called for a conference to discuss what the police intend to do about the letter.
Mandaue RTC Judge Teresita Galanida of Branch 56 filed a report about a “threat alarm” at Station 1 of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) after a courier company delivered the letter to her sala at 4:55 p.m. last Oct. 10.
Supt. Vicente Mersan Premne, MCPO officer-in-charge, said in a phone interview that security at the Court of Justice has also been tightened. The Police Regional Office 7 is leading the assessment of the threat.
The sender of the two-page letter identified herself as Celing, the wife of a new MILF member (name withheld pending verification).
Senior Insp. Aileen Recla, CIB deputy chief who attended the conference called by Bolodo, said in a mobile phone interview that the Cebu Provincial Police Office’s intelligence section has been tasked to trace and verify the identity of the sender and her supposed husband.
Celing she was forced to write the letter so there will be no fatalities when the plan is carried out.
The letter said it is the “mission” of her husband’s group to bomb the Court of Justice in Mandaue City, in time for the courts to start hearing cases at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
The letter-sender suggested postponing the hearings and resuming only next year.
“Misyon ni sa bag-ong grupo nga misulod sa MILF. Usa akong bana aning grupoha bag-ong misulod. Ako siyang gipugngan kay di ko gusto mopatay og tawo akong bana pero bun-ogon man ko niya, wa ko’y mahimo (Recruits in the MILF, including my husband, plan to carry out this attack. I have tried to stop him, but he beats me up instead),” the letter stated.
She requested the military to provide security at the Court of Justice. (JTG)
