ZAMBOANGA CITY—Police and military authorities here revealed that one of the three assailants in Sunday’s bombings in this city is a bomb expert of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf.

This, as the identity of one of the three bombers has been established through the joint efforts of the Zamboanga City police, 9th Regional Mobile Group and Task Force Zamboanga based on the artist’s sketch of the suspect.

Supt. Jonathan Perez, Zamboanga City police officer in charge, on Wednesday identified the Abu Sayyaf bomb expert and one of last Sunday’s bombing suspects as Joel Salem, alias Abu Madja.

Two bombs exploded, one after the other, on Sunday morning in this city. There were no casualties but two vehicles and church properties were damaged.

The first bomb exploded at the Metropolitan Cathedral downtown and the second in front of a building that houses a government office and a bank on Veterans Avenue, 1.5 kilometers east of the church.

Perez said that Salem’s identity was established following an intelligence fusion by the police and military forces stationed in this city.

He said that Salem is under the group of Isnilon Hapilon, one of the bandit leaders wanted by the US government for the killing and kidnapping of two American citizens in 2001.

Salem was trained in making explosives in Central Mindanao, Perez said.

He said Salem and some companions were spotted sometime in February this year in one of the malls downtown “apparently looking for possible targets.”

Perez disclosed that one of Salem’s companions was arrested last month by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) agents in front of the Philippine National Red Cross-Zamboanga City chapter compound on Petit Barracks downtown.

Perez said investigators are set to file charges against Salem and his two companions.

He said composite police and military teams have been sent to track down Salem and his companions.

“They have no place in Zamboanga City,” Perez added.

The Task Force Zamboanga commander, Col. Darwin Guerra, said they have coordinated with the police and military authorities in nearby provinces to help them arrest Salem’s group.

Former congressman seeks probe into PCGG’s Metrowalk contract

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THE lawyer of fugitive Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon expressed doubts that it was her client who was interviewed on television, where he indirectly confirmed the alleged involvement of Sen. Gregorio Honasan in the Oakwood mutiny in Makati City in 2003.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Police and military authorities here revealed that one of the three assailants in Sunday’s bombings in this city is a bomb expert of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf.

OMBUDSMAN Merceditas Gutierrez on Tuesday upheld the resolution that ordered the filing of criminal charges against former justice secretary Hernando Perez, his wife and two others in connection with the $2-million extortion charge filed by former independent representative Mark Jimenez of Manila.

ANGELES CITY—Pampanga’s “sisig queen” was found dead in her residence in barangay Claro M. Recto, in this city, early Wednesday morning.

AN urban-poor group on Wednesday filed a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking the issuance of a temporary restraining order to stop the demolition and road-clearing operations being conducted by government agencies in preparation for the construction of Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project (NSLP).