JOINT police and military operatives arrested a government official and seized bomb-making materials in a law enforcement operation in Basilan province, the police said Tuesday, June 25.

Police Major Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, identified the arrested official as Muida Hataman, the director of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) in Basilan province.

Galvez said Hataman was arrested after being served a search warrant at 4:10 a.m. Tuesday by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and military intelligence personnel in San Rafael village, Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province.

She said the search warrant issued against Hataman was for violation of Republic Act 9516 for illegal possession of firearms, explosive and ammunition through Oplan Paglalansag Omega.

Recovered from the suspect were the following: one electric blasting cap, one nine-volt battery, one caliber 40-millimeter ammunition, wire, one 7-66-milimeter mortar cartridge, a unit hand-held radio, four units cellular phone, two units laptop computers, and a sling bag, she added.

However, Galvez refused to comment whether the arrested suspect has ties with the Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf bandits.

Radio reports emanating from Basilan province stated that the suspect is one of the wives of Radzmir Janatul, who is allegedly a bandit sub-leader under the group of Abu Sayyaf leader Furuji Indama. (SunStar Philippines)