Arrested communist rebel may be Makati bus blast suspect—intelligence report

MANILA, Philippines – An alleged communist rebel arrested for murder in Quezon province Thursday may also be a suspect in the Makati bus blast, an intelligence report reaching Camp Crame said Friday.

The report by Major General Romulo Bambao of the Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines showed that Ryan Sison, whom police believed to be a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army- National Democratic Front, has also been tagged a suspect in the bus blast that killed four people and wounded 14 others in Makati City last January 25.

Members of the military, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Lucena City police and the Quezon province police apprehended Sison in Dalahican village, Lucena City, Quezon province at around 10:30 a.m., the report said.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., Philippine National Police spokesman, said on Thursday that Sison was allegedly carrying materials for making an improvised explosive device (IED) – 17 cellular phones, two homemade shotguns, two grenades, and electrical wires – when he was arrested.

The suspect was also carrying a notebook with several cellphone numbers, the intelligence report showed. He also had with him several sim cards.

Authorities arrested Sison by virtue of a warrant from Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Hilarion Clapis Jr. of Compostela Valley.

Sison was brought to police headquarters in Lucena City, the report said.

CIDG investigators are preparing additional charges against the suspect and intelligence experts from the police and military have been told of his capture, said Cruz.

Sison also went by aliases Ryan Jula, Julane Sison and Jule, added the spokesman.