Bus bombing suspect charged

A suspected Muslim extremist whom authorities believed was responsible for the deadly January 25 bus bombing in Makati City that killed four and seriously injured 14 others was charged before the Department of Justice yesterday.

Ryan Sison, also known as Julane Luganao Sison, Ryan Jula and Salli Abdul Jabar, was charged with illegal possession on firearms and explosives.

State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera set the preliminary investigation on June 10.

The case was filed by Senior Police Officer 1 Rizaldy Viñas of the Metro Manila regional office of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). The arresting officers, Insp. Pedro Barsan Jr., Senior Police Officer 2 Ramil Palisoc and Police Officer 2 Lyndon Bacolor, were presented as witnesses.

Sison was arrested in Lucena City by military and police operatives in Purok (zone) Silverado in Dalahican, Lucena City before dawn on Thursday. He is wanted on murder charges in Compostela Valley.

Seized from Sison were two hand grenades, an improvised shotgun, C4 and TNT explosives, cell phones, several SIM cards, electric wires and a fan knife.

The Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) said Sison is a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Sison “is believed to be responsible in the bombing incident inside a Newman Goldliner PUB with plate number TXJ-710 along Edsa corner Buendia Avenue Makati City last January 25, 2011,” Isafp chief Major General Romulo Bambao said in a report transmitted to the PNP.

The police said the improvised bomb that blasted inside the Newman Goldliner bus while traversing along Edsa in Makati City used an 81mm mortar that was reportedly triggered by a cellular phone. Jerome Aning and Dona Z. Pazzibugan