ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines: Authorities here arrested a senior leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) implicated by the military to the spate of bombings in Kidapawan City in Mindanao, officials said on Thursday.
Colonel Jonathan Ponce, a spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said Badrudin Dalungan was held at a checkpoint on Wednesday in Cotabato City near Maguindanao province.
He said Dalungan is a member of the MILF’s special operations group blamed for the 2007 bombings in Kidapawan that killed and wounded several civilians.
“MILF-SOG Badrudin Dalungan was arrested on Wednesday afternoon at a checkpoint in Cotabato City. (He has) warrants of arrest for multiple frustrated murder in connection to the series of blasts in Kidapawan City in 2007,” Ponce said.
He said Dalungan’s arrest came a day after security forces also captured Camarudin Hadji Ali, alias Commander Mudi, at the house of one of his wives in Cotabato City after a long intelligence and surveillance operation.
Ali is a leader of the MILF’s 105th Base Command under Ameril Umbra Kato and both men are both wanted for the series of deadly attacks last year in Mindanao.
Ponce said the rebel leader has a bounty on his head of more than a million pesos.
“They got the wrong guys,” said Eid Kabalu, a senior MILF leader.
Early this month, troops captured Benjamin Esmail Satol, an alleged member of the MILF’s special operations group linked to the July 5 bombing outside a Catholic church in Cotabato City. At least five people were killed in the attack.
