Town hall burning suspect nabbed in Sultan Kudarat

SULTAN KUDARAT - The police arrested on Monday a commander of an outlawed Moro group tagged in the burning of the town hall of Palimbang town in the province last weekend.

Sahara Maulana, municipal administrator of the seaside Palimbang town, said Commander Jojo, who led the arson attack, is now in the custody of the local police.

Relatives reportedly led pursuing soldiers and policemen to the hideout of Commander Jojo after he and his followers set on fire the town’s old and new municipal halls, using kerosene and dried coconut palms.

Arson investigators initially pegged the fire's damage at P15 million.

The cashiered commander was implicated in other previous heinous offenses, including armed robbery, cattle rustling, and extortion.

Investigators said the burning of the two buildings could be related to the local government’s renewed crackdown against the peddlers of illegal drugs.

Followers of Commander Jojo are tagged as main dealers of shabu in different barangays of Palimbang.

Maulana said witnesses are now helping the police prepare arson charges against the commander and his followers.