Cops arrest woman with IED, grenade in Koronadal City

Koronadal City in South Cotabato (Image by Google Maps)

KORONADAL CITY – Police here arrested on Saturday a woman facing kidnapping and illegal detention charges. But they were surprised on finding her in possession of a powerful improvised bomb and a hand grenade.

Supt. Benjiel Kirby Bajo, chief Koronadal City Police Station, said officers with an arrest warrant found Maria Malaya Fernandez at her boarding house in Barangay Gen. Paulino Santos here at 8:40 a.m.

Fernandez is facing illegal detention and kidnapping charges at a Tacurong City court.

The boarding house owner said Fernandez had just moved in on Thursday, or two days before her arrest.

Police said they were looking into the suspect’s connections.

The discovery of the IED and the grenade came a week after the twin blasts that rocked Isulan town, Sultan Kudarat, only about 45 minutes drive from here.

The blasts left five dead and 48 injured.

The suspect had been turned over to Tacurong City Police Station. /atm