ASG bombing suspect arrested in Zamboanga City

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 17, 2023): ASG bombing suspect arrested in Zamboanga City (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

NABBED. Authorities arrest suspected Abu Sayyaf Group bomber Omar Mabanza, 27, during an operation in Sitio Sapa Dulian, Barangay Calabasa, Zamboanga City on Friday (Feb. 17, 2023). Police intelligence reports indicated that Mabanza and his cohorts were on a bombing mission in the city. (Photo courtesy of Jerry Amaga)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bomber found in possession of an improvised explosive device (IED) and other materials was arrested in a law enforcement operation in this city on Friday, police officials said.

Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said Omar Mabanza, 27, was nabbed in an operation in Sitio Sapa Dulian, Barangay Calabasa at about 5:10 a.m.

Recovered from the suspect were an IED and bomb-making components, such as blasting caps and time fuses.

Col. Alexander Lorenzo, city police director, said the suspect was arrested while they were serving an arrest warrant for the latter’s cohort, identified as Jomar Mohammad, for multiple murder charges.

“Mohammad eluded arrest but (his accomplice) Mabanza was arrested and in possession of an IED,” Lorenzo said.

He added that Mohammad and Mabanza are cousins.

Mabanza is the nephew of slain Alex Alvarez, whose real name is Amil Hamja Ajijul, when Task Force Zamboanga troopers raided his hideout in Barangay Calabasa in April 2006.

Verceles said Mohammad’s group, which is linked to the Basilan-based ASG, was monitored to have arrived in Barangay Calabasa for a bombing mission in this city.

He added that Mohammad’s group was supposed to launch bombings to divert the attention of the authorities while another group of ASG bandits would rescue Abu Sari and Sahid Alip, both high-profile convicts serving a prison term at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Barangay Talisayan.

However, the Bureau of Corrections earlier transferred four high-risk prisoners, including Sari and Alip, from the San Ramon prison to a detention facility in Metro Manila.

Two of the four were transported by plane on Wednesday afternoon and the other two on Thursday morning.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1195470