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Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Bomb seized from 4 Indonesian nationals
By Edwin G. Espejo
GENERAL SANTOS -- An improvised explosive devised fashioned out from a rocket propelled grenade was seized Tuesday by police intelligence operatives from four Indonesian nationals near the Bulaong terminal in General Santos City.
The four Indonesians were immediately brought to the headquarters of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 where they are still undergoing tactical interrogation.
Police identified the suspects as cousins Mark, Charito and Allan Panggilawan and a certain Yustinos Barahama.
Operatives of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID) arrested Mark and Allan Panggilawan, together with Yustinos Barahama, inside an eatery fronting the temporary bus terminal along Bulaong Street.
Barahama who was able to elude initial police arrest was nabbed in Purok Balunto, Barangay Calumpang.
Chief Insp. Ruel Palapar, who led the three-man arresting team, told Sun.Star they have received a report from their informant that a courier left Maguindanao Tuesday bringing along with him the improvised explosive device.
The informant, who he declined to identify, said the courier was either bound for General Santos or Tacurong City.
Police authorities immediately posted operatives at the bus terminals of both cities.
Shortly before noon, the suspects were spotted inside their rendezvous place.
Palapar and his men immediately rounded up the four who did not resist arrest.
He said based on the initial examination of the recovered explosive device, police bomb experts theorized it was similar to those found by the military in Camp Abubakar, former stronghold of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Palapar, however, declined to say if the arrested Indonesian nationals are members of the MILF or the suspected Indonesian terror group Jemaah Islamiya.
He also refused to say if the bomb was intended for General Santos.
Sr. Insp. Joemari Yap told police officials that the timing device was not yet attached to the explosive device.
Police theorized the suspects had become wary of premature explosions, since these led to the death or capture of suspected bombers in Koronadal and Tacurong City early this year.
As of Tuesday afternoon, police operatives are reportedly still tracking down a fifth companion of the suspects who is also believed to be an Indonesian national.
The courier of the explosive device also managed to escape from the police.
But sources also said at least 10 people were involved in the transport of the bomb.
Police authorities declined Tuesday to present the suspects to the media, saying they were still being investigated.
But Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. immediately congratulated the police for the arrests of the suspects.
He also credited residents here for providing intelligence information to the police.
The city mayor also promised that the suspects would be presented to the public on Wednesday. Sun.Star General Santos
(June 18, 2003 issue)
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