11 suspects in Zambo grenade attack nabbed

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – Footage from a closed-circuit TV camera and quick police response led the arrest of 11 suspected hired killers behind the grenade attack on a hotel owner here late Wednesday afternoon, police said yesterday. 

The grenade was thrown at the Nissan Navara pick-up truck of hotel owner Hadja Ferdausia Karim at around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Canelar and Gov. Camins roads.

Karim and a relative, Hadja Farida Radja, who was with her, escaped the attack unscathed. The blast though heavily damaged their vehicle.

Two civilians who were onboard a jeepney cruising the intersection at the time of the blast, sustained injuries.

Senior Superintendent James Mejia, city police chief, said the blast was captured by the CCTV installed in the area and the quick pursuit of police forces led to the arrest initially of two suspects. 

He said the two admitted that they were hired to carry out the grenade attack and identified their other cohorts.

Mejia said follow-up operations led to the arrest of the nine other suspects, including a barangay councilor in Sulu’s Al-Kaluang town.

Seized from the suspects were four high-powered firearms, including a KG-9 machine pistol and .45-caliber pistols, and five motorcycles whose engines and chassis were found tampered.

“Based on the interrogation, it appeared that the suspects were hired killers and the mission was passed on to three levels before the execution,” Mejia said. He declined to identify the mastermind, as their efforts were still ongoing.

Mejia quoted the suspects as saying that they were paid varied amounts to carry out the attack.

Mejia said the suspects are now detained at the city police office pending the filing of charges, including frustrated murder, illegal possession of explosives and firearms, and car theft, against them. 

Mejia said the suspects were also believed behind the failed slay attempt on Alfad Farouk, a vice mayoral aspirant in Tabuan-Lasa, Basilan, in an ambush here last Oct. 2. 

Police invited Farouk who, in turn, positively identified two of the arrested suspects as involved in the ambush.