Nobleza
THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) is now building a strong case against Supt. Maria Cristina Nobleza and her partner Renierlo Dongon, a bomb expert of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
“We are consolidating for the case to be filed against Dongon and establishing the connection of Nobleza (to the) terroristic activities (of Dongon),” said Supt. Royina Garma, CIDG-7 director, yesterday.
Nobleza and Dongon were arrested last April 22 at a checkpoint in Clarin, Bohol, at the height of the second encounter between government troops and ASG members who hid in Barangay Bacani in Clarin after surviving the April 11 government siege of their lair in the neighboring Inabanga town.
Garma said that the two, who were accused of attempting to rescue the surviving ASG members and suspected of plotting bombings in Bohol, would face charges for violating the Anti-terrorism Act.
The evidence that the police have seized from the suspects will be thoroughly studied to build an airtight case that Dongon was going to engage in a terroristic act, added Garma.
“Sa case naman ni Nobleza, may obstruction of justice and harboring (a criminal). Dongon is a known terrorist to the point he changed his identity para lang maka-escape sa mga warrant of arrest,” Garma said.
(In the case of Nobleza, there are already obstruction of justice and harboring a criminal charges against her. Dongon is a known terrorist to the point he changed his identity to escape his pending warrant of arrest.)
Meanwhile, the police released Judith Dongon, the mother of Dongon, last week.
Garma said that there was an order to release Judith Dongon since there was no sufficient evidence against her aside from the fact that she is the mother of Dongon and the grandmother of the 17-year-old Abu Sayyaf member whom Dongon was supposed to rescue.
Judith was in the same vehicle with Nobleza and Renierlo when they were intercepted by the policemen and soldiers manning a checkpoint in Clarin.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command (AFP-Centcom) will not join in the investigation of Nobleza.
Lt. Col. Medel Aguilar, Centcom assistant chief of the Unified Command staff for Civil Military Operations, said they would no longer pursue an investigation into Nobleza since she is already being investigated by the CIDG-7.
Garma, on the other hand, doubted claims that Nobleza has two sons who are both in the military.
He said what he knew was that Nobleza’s two sons are both medical students.
As to the remaining three ASG members who have eluded pursuing troops in Clarin last week, the hunt continues, said Aguilar.
Since April 11, eight ASG members were killed in two gun battles in the municipalities of Inabanga and Clarin in Bohol.
Among those killed were Mouamar Askali, the leader of the group; bomb experts Abu Sufyan and Edimar Isnain; Joselito Melloria, a native of Bohol who guided the ASG; pumpboat operator Aldimar Taib; alyas Richard; alyas Omil; and an unidentified man.
Three others remain at large: Alyas Asis, Kaifar Sawadjaan also known as Um Ammra, and alyas Ubayda.