Policewoman tied to Abu Sayyaf faces more raps over guns, explosives

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — More charges are being prepared against alleged Abu Sayyaf conduit, Supt. Maria Cristina Nobleza, following the discovery of firearms, ammunition and bomb-making components inside her house in Malaybalay City in Bukidnon.

The Northern Mindanao Police Office said in a report that a composite team of policemen and soldiers raided Nobleza’s house at Pine Hills in Barangay Casisang in Malaybalay City on Monday and recovered an M-16 rifle and ammunition magazines, a loaded .45-pistol with seven cartridges, and components for an improvised explosive device such as a timer, blasting cap, a tester and a nine-volt battery.

The raid was backed by a search warrant issued by Judge Maria Theresa Aban-Camannong of the Regional Trial Court Branch 9 in Malaybalay City.

The regional police office said the recovered items were brought to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) office here and will be used as evidence in the filing of charges of illegal possession of firearms and possession of explosives against Nobleza under Republic Act 10591 and Republic Act 9516.

The regional police office said two minors were also found inside Nobleza’s house and had been turned over to proper authorities.

In Davao City, Supt. Georgy Manuel, the chief of the Southern Mindanao Regional Crime Laboratory, said he and Nobleza had barely talked since the latter was assigned here in February.

“We were both busy with our tasks,” Manuel said.

But Manuel said even then, he had asked his men how Nobleza was as a person and a co-worker, and was told that “she was deep.”

“Some of my men would also hear her use an unfamiliar dialect in phone conversations with unidentified callers,” Manuel said.

Nobleza, the Inquirer has learned, speaks several dialects including Bicolano.

He said some of the Scene of the Crime Office (Soco) personnel here also had a chance to accompany Nobleza when she visited a lot she purchased in Barangay Buhangin in Davao City.

“She was building a house because she had been staying in hotels since her reassignment in Davao from Camp Crame,” Manuel said.