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Monday, October 16, 2006
Arroyo orders arrest of bomber tagged in Mindanao blasts (4:25 p.m.)
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has instructed the military to closely coordinate with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the apprehension of a group member alleged as a principal suspect in last week's bombings in Central Mindanao.
Marine Brigadier General Ben Dolorfino on Monday said he has made a formal coordination with his counterpart in the secessionist movement for the arrest of Abdul Basit Usman.
Dolorfino is the head of the government Adhoc Joint Action Group that conducts joint operations with MILF fighters. He is the concurrent commander of the military's National Capital Region Command (NCRcom) based in Camp Aguinaldo.
North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piņol and police investigators earlier pointed to Usman, a nephew of the late MILF chairman Hashim Salamat, as behind the bombings. Salamat died of a lingering ailment in July 2003.
Piņol said Usman led the bombings on the orders of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bombers Dulmatin and Omar Patek. The two JI men are being hunted by thousands of troops in Sulu since last August. (VR/Sunnex) |
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