PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) spokesperson Dionardo Carlos said Thursday that several tourist police in Bohol have already denied their knowledge of the alleged ties of Superintendent Maria Christina Nobleza with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
"They came out and they said that they were only requested to assist sa pagkuha ng billeting area. Sinabi na po nila ang kanilang ginawa," Carlos said.
The tourist police personnel, who are members of the Bohol Tourist Police Unit, said they were asked by Nobleza to help her find a place to stay.
"Kapag ganyan po nagre-request na mayroon ba silang alam na malapit na pwedeng tirahan, may assistance pong ibinibigay. Alam po nila na senior officer si Superintendent Nobleza, inasistehan po ng ating tourist police," Carlos added.
According to the police personnel, Nobleza told them that she and her companions were tourists in the area.
On April 22, Nobleza was arrested together with Abu Sayyaf member Renier Dongon and his mother, after they drove past a police checkpoint in Clarin, Bohol.
Authorities said Nobleza, who was the deputy chief of Davao Police Crime Laboratory Unit at the time of her arrest, has been in a romantic relationship with Dongon, who was among those responsible in the 2012 bombing of Maxandrea Hotel in Cagayan De Oro City that killed two people.
Based on the text messages recovered in Nobleza's phone, they were on their way to rescuing an Abu Sayyaf member wounded due to an encounter with the government troops in Clarin town.
Police then conducted a raid in the rented apartment of Nobleza and Dongon in Barangay Looc, Panglao, Bohol, and found there several materials that can be used in making explosives.
From Bohol, Nobleza and Dongon were transferred to Camp Crame where they will be detained.
Carlos said the two are still undergoing tactical interrogation.
On April 11, several members of the ASG penetrated Bohol, allegedly to conduct kidnapping. (SunStar Philippines)