Man arrested after 53 sacks of explosive chemicals, bomb-making materials seized

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Police arrested a man and seized a large volume of explosive chemicals and materials for bomb-making during a raid Saturday morning in an island town of Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay, according to official.

Col. Albert Larubis, Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Police Office (ZSBPPO) director, identified the suspect as Buddy Pawaki Asamuddin, 45, a resident of Purok 1, Barangay Pulo Mabao, Olutanga.

Larubis said the joint police forces led by Lt. Col. Chamer Lacay, commander of the Provincial Mobile Force Company and local police applied the search warrant that led to the arrest of Asamuddin, a carpenter by occupation.

He said the police forces recovered from the possession of the suspect at least 53 sacks of ammunition nitrate, a fertilizer chemical which is used as the main ingredient in bomb-making, four blasting caps, and two cut pieces of high explosive detonating cords (yellow and red) with a total length of 51 inches.

“The suspect was arrested for violation of Republic Active 9516 or the unlawful manufacture, sale, acquisition, disposition or possession of explosive or incendiary device,” Larubis said.

According to Larubis, initial investigation revealed that the explosives recovered are believed to be used for blast fishing.

However, Larubis warned that if the explosives will go into the wrong hands, it can be used as an improvised explosive device (IED) or similar to those IEDs used in several bomb attacks hatched by terror groups in parts of southern Philippines.

Larubis said the suspect, who was detained in the Olutanga Municipal Police Station, continued to undergo tactical debriefing to determine the source of the bags of chemical explosive with markings of "Malaysia", detonating cords and blasting caps.