CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Mandaue City police arrested on Tuesday a woman believed to be the one claiming she was the wife of a Muslim rebel whose mission was to bomb the Palace of Justice buildings in the cities of Mandaue and Cebu.

Senior Superintendent Vicente Mersan Premne, the Mandaue City police acting chief, identified the suspect as Erlinda Cagata, 44, a resident of the village of Punta Princesa, Cebu City.

She was believed to have sent letters to two judges claiming that the two buildings had been targeted for bombing by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Premne said Cagata was arrested at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Palace of Justice building in Mandaue City.

The police had tightened security at both buildings when Mandaue City RTC branch 56 Judge Teresita Galanida and Cebu City Branch 10 Judge Soliver Peras both received a letter from a certain Celing Toleron, who claimed her husband was a new recruit of the MILF.

In the letter, "Toleron" suggested that the hearings in the two Palace of Justice buildings be postponed until 2009 because of the planned bombings there.

Galanida's chamber got the letter on October 10 in the afternoon, while Peras' chamber received a copy the day before.

Premne said they traced the letter to the courier company and the attendant Donnie Alfante gave them the identity of the woman who sent the two letters on October 8.

Premne said Alfante remembered the woman because the attendant was curious why she sent letters to the two addressees, which were just within Metro Cebu.

The police said Cagata had pending cases of estafa in the chambers of Galanida and Peras.

In fact, the hearing of her case in Galanida's chamber was scheduled for 8:30 a.m., Tuesday.

When Cagata failed to appear, Galanida issued a bench warrant, which was made the basis of Cagata's arrest when she showed up at 11 a.m. in the Palace of Justice, Mandaue City.

Before they served the warrant, Premne said, they asked Alfante to confirm if Cagata was the one who sent the letters.

When Alfante identified her, the police arrested Cagata who denied having sent the two letters.

Premne said the police would continue their investigation to determine if Cagata or her husband had the capability to bomb the two Palace of Justice buildings.

The police will file charges of grave threats and concealing of true name against Cagata.