|
Monday, October 27, 2003
MILF commander held for GenSan blasts
By Aquiles Zonio
* But suspect denies he ordered bombings in the city's central business district
* Six successive blasts rocked the commercial district of General Santos City early evening of June 24, 2000, killing one person
* MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu says he has yet to check if the suspect is an MILF commander
GENERAL SANTOS -- Intelligence operatives of the local police nabbed Friday noon a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leader who was tagged as the mastermind of the six successive bomb blasts at the city's commercial district in June 24, 2000.
The captured suspect was identified as a certain Guindatu Mamantal Dulang, 51, and a resident of Barangay Balong, Datu Piang, Maguindanao Province.
Dulang, alias commander Bimbo, was arrested around 11:45 a.m. Friday near Biocrest Feedmill, National Highway in Barangay Apopong by elements of the criminal investigation branch of the local police force led by Senior Insp. Maximo Sebastian.
Jimmy Salamat and Edgar Aton Gubat, also among the suspects in the 2000 rash of bombing incidents here, pointed to Dulang as the brains behind the June 2000 bombings.
Six successive blasts rocked the commercial district of this city early evening of June 24, 2000, killing one person and wounding scores of others.
Charges of murder and multiple frustrated murders were filed against Salamat and Gubat, who are now languishing inside the General Santos City Reformatory Center in Lanton, Apopong. Also included in the charge sheet was Dulang.
He had an existing arrest warrant issued by Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 3 Judge Gaydifredo Ocampo.
Dulang was the leader of the MILF 212th Brigade operating in the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani and part of Davao Del Sur.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said in an interview he heard the name Commander Bimbo but he had yet to verify if the suspect was indeed an MILF commander.
During an interview, Dulang denied he had a hand in the June 24 bomb attacks in General Santos.
He claimed he owns Macmod-Dulang Arrastre and Stevedoring Services, which supplies the manpower component of big department stores and malls here.
"Wala akong plano at wala akong inutusan na mamomba sa Gensan," said Bimbo. (I had no plans of launching bomb attacks and I did not order anyone to bomb General Santos.)
He said a special operations group of the MILF perpetrated the June 24 bombings.
Dulang is now temporarily detained at the lock-up cell of the General Santos City Police Office while waiting for a commitment order from the court. Sun.Star General Santos
(October 27, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
 |
| click
to comment on this article or discuss it with other readers |
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
4 soldiers killed, 5 hurt in clash with NPAs