(Photo courtesy of Kidapawan City Police Office)
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- A man believed to be behind the bombing here in 2007 was arrested by police and military personnel in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato.
Supt. Bernard Tayong, North Cotabato police spokesman, identified the arrested person as Abdulgani Mantil, 48, who attempted to break through a police-military checkpoint in Barangay South Manuangan, Pigcawayan, North Cotabato past 4 p.m. Monday.
Mantil, who has several warrants of arrest for murder, frustrated murder and frustrated multiple murders, was driving a white car without license plates when flagged down by government forces.
“He ignored the police and soldiers, and sped away towards Maguindanao,” Tayong said, referring to the checkpoint in South Manuangan, Pigcawayan’s border village with nearby Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
Police and soldiers chased Mantil and alerted the Army brigade headquarters in Barangay Pigcalagan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao to put up a roadblock.
The suspect was unarmed when arrested. According to Tayong, Mantil has standing warrants of arrest for his alleged involvement in the 2007 Kidapawan City bombing.
Mantil was also linked to the Kidapawan City bus terminal bombing, also in 2007, that left two persons injured.
He was included on the list of wanted persons issued by the Department of National Defense following the declaration of martial Law in Mindanao last year. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
