POLICE neutralized the alleged mastermind in the 2018 New Year’s Eve bombing in Cotabato City during an encounter in the early hours of Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

PNP Chief Debold Sinas identified the slain suspect as Abrahan Abad Abdulhrahman, also known as Abu Suffian.

He was allegedly behind the bombing at the South Seas Mall bombing in Cotabato City on December 31, 2018. Two persons were killed and around 30 others were wounded.

Sinas said Suffian, who was armed with a caliber .45 pistol and a hand grenade, engaged policemen in an encounter in Barangay Bagua 2 in Cotabato City at around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Police were trying to serve a warrant to search the residence of a certain Jasmiyah Camsa Ibrahim, who is believed to be the wife of Abdulrahman.

Ibrahim escaped. A woman found in the house was taken into custody while six children were “rescued,” Sinas said.

Seized from the Ibrahim residence were 60mm high-explosive mortar projectile, improvised explosive device components and a motorcycle.

Sinas said Abdulrahman also took part in the Butig and Marawi siege led by the Maute Group.

Abdulrahman escaped from Marawi along with some widows of fallen jihadists and sought refuge in Maguindanao.

“Lately, he is operating under Salahuddin Hassan and IED expert Abu Naim, under the direct supervision of Abu Turaife of the DI-BIFF for whom he was purchasing IED components and medical supplies,” Sina said.

The operation was conducted by a joint team from the Counter-Terrorism Division of Regional Intelligence Units 12 and 15 of PNP-Intelligence Group, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Regional Field Unit, PNP Special Action Force and Cotabato City Police Office. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)