Man arrested in Cebu for allegedly making IED

Cebu police now have in custody a man who was injured while allegedly assembling an improvised explosive device (IED) on Friday.

Police said Alejandro Novo Pil, 33, was in the process of making the IED at his rented house in Sitio Datag, Barangay Buagsung on Mactan Island at about 5:45 p.m. when the IED exploded.

According to police, Pil sustained injuries in his right hand and at various parts of his body.

Responding police personnel also recovered from the suspect a caliber .45 pistol loaded with six bullets, a caliber .357 revolver loaded with four bullets, a caliber .50 bullet, and the IED.

Also seized from the suspect were three transparent plastic bags each containing half a kilo of ammonium nitrate, and one-fourth kilo of nails, that police said served were used to make the IED.

The incident happened just a day after President Rodrigo Duterte was on the island to grace the opening of the new world-class terminal of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

Senior Inspector Janus Giangan, Cordova Police Station chief, declined to provide additional details on the incident saying that it is still under investigation.

Police said the suspect is now confined at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City for treatment and is closely being guarded.   /muf