Suspect in pension house blast in Zamboanga City arrested

MANILA, Philippines — An alleged Abu Sayyaf member believed to be responsible for the bombing of a pension house in Zamboanga City was arrested Tuesday night, Director Felicisimo Khu of the PNP-Western Mindanao said on Wednesday morning.

In an interview on Radyo Inquirer 990AM, Khu identified the suspect as Hussein Adama Hadin, a member of the Abu Sayyaf, a Jemaah Islamiyah-linked terrorist group based in Basilan.

Khu said Hadin has a standing warrant of arrest in connection with a bombing incident in 2002.

Hadin is the first suspect arrested so far for the bombing at the Atilano Pension House on Sunday. The blast killed three, and injured 27 others, mostly guests of the wedding reception scheduled at the hotel on Monday.

Khu said police has doubled its security in Zamboanga City and its environs in anticipation of counter-attack coming from Hadin’s group.

In a separate interview by INQUIRER.net, Khu said that Hadin, who also went by the name Abu Asraf was arrested by a special operations unit led by the DIPO-WM.

The suspect was allegedly part of the group of Abu Moadz and Ustadz Ibni Acosta, “also suspects in the explosion at a cockpit arena in San Roque village in Zamboanga City last October 9, the DIPO-WM chief added.

He said that they have also invited for questioning Hadja Rukia Asnawi, the wife of Commander Dan Laksaw Asnawi who was being pursued by authorities for the death of 19 soldiers in Al-Barka, Basilan.

For more reports, listen to Radyo Inquirer 990AM.