COTABATO CITY – A suspected bomber of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter was arrested by authorities over the weekend while undergoing treatment at the Cotabato Regional Medical Center here.
Lt. Col. Rowell Gavilanes, 60th Infantry Battalion commander, said the suspect, Kuntong Basilan, sustained a bullet wound in an encounter with government forces in Maguindanao del Sur.
Gavilanes said the suspect is facing murder and arson charges and allegedly involved in landmine attacks in military detachments in Aleosan and Midsayap in North Cotabato in 2008.
He was also tagged in the liquidation of police and military personnel in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte in 2020.
Basilan was among the top lieutenants of Ameril Umbra Kato, the late leader of the BIFF.
He is under the custody of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Maguindanao del Sur.