ZAMBOANGA CITY — Police arrested a government official and seized bomb-making materials in a law enforcement operation in Basilan province Tuesday.
Maj. Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer, identified the arrested official as Muida Hataman, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) provincial director of Basilan.
Galvez said Hataman was arrested after a court-ordered search around 4:10 a.m. Tuesday in Barangay San Rafael, Isabela City, which resulted in the confiscation of an electric blasting cap other bomb-making materials, a caliber 40-millimeter ammunition; wire, a millimeter mortar cartridge, and other pieces of evidence.
Galvez declined to comment on Hataman’s possible link with lawless elements in Basilan and elsewhere.
A radio report in Basilan province said the suspect is one of the wives of Radzmir Janatul, who is allegedly a sub-leader of Abu Sayyaf Group leader Furuji Indama.
Galvez said Hataman was placed under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. (PNA)
