PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa confirmed Monday the participation of the son of a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader and a Mindanao congresswoman in the Davao City night market bombing last September 2, 2016 that killed least 15 people.
Datu Mohammad Abdul Jabbar Sema, son of Muslimin Sema, the chairman of the largest faction of the MNLF and Maguindanao Representative Bai Sandra Sema were among those who facilitated the terror attack, Dela Rosa said.
“Siya (Sema) nagbigay ng sasakyan. Sa kanya nanggagaling ‘yung staging point ng pag-operate na ‘yun at isa siya sa brains [nung bombing],” Dela Rosa said.
He said the younger Sema is an extremist who was among those who propagate the followers of international terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis).
Dela Rosa said he is most likely to be part of the Maute Group, who claims link to the Isis.
However, Dela Rosa said the PNP is still verifying reports that he was arrested on November 24, 2016 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport as he arrived there from Bangkok.
“The latest report that I got from our police attache in Malaysia is mukhang hindi pa daw nahuli...There was an attempt from that Sema to cross the border of Malaysia and Thailand (but) pagdating sa border ng Thailand hindi daw pinapasok, hinarang, kaya siguro sinabi na nahuli but ‘yun lang, hinarang, hindi naman hinuli, pinabalik lang sa loob ng Malaysia territory,” he said.
He said the police attaché to Malaysia has already provided an arrest warrant against Sema, which will then serve as the basis of his arrest and other further actions. (SunStar Philippines)