Police hold suspicious-looking man in Lapu-Lapu City

A man suspecte to be a member of the ASG, was brought by respoding policemen to Lapu-Lapu City Police to verify his Identity (CDN PHOTO/ NORMAN MENDOZA)

A man suspected to be a member of Abu Sayyaf Group, who left a sack near a resort in Mactan island, was brought by responding policemen to Lapu-Lapu City Police Headquarters to verify his identity past 11:00 on Friday morning.

Chief Insp. Junnel Caadlawon, chief of Lapu-Lapu Tourist Police, said they receive a call from a security guard at Hilton Wharf in Barangay Punta Engaño about the presence of a suspicious-looking man that’s causing alarm among bystanders and tourists in the area.

“The security guard said it seems that the man was pretending to be mentally ill and left a sack near a resort,” said Caadlawon.

Items found in Lapu-Lapu City (CDN PHOTO/NORMAN MENDOZA)

Caadlawon added that the security personnel of resort took their K9 dog and inspected the sack that was left near the concrete fence of the hotel.

There was no response from the K9 dog indicating the presence of a bomb inside the bag but security guards saw some wires with electronic board and capacitors and a shirt with “J.H. Cerilles State College”, a name of a school based in Zamboanga del Sur, printed on it.

Bystanders claimed they were the first to ring the alarm about the suspicious-looking man in hopes that they could receive the reward money.

According to Caadlawon, the man, who introduced himself as 25-year-old Liboy Bolano, appeared to be mentally ill.

He did not however give an address when asked where he is from.

“He is wearing two dirty shirts and pants with fresh wounds in the face and speaks in broken Cebuano language.”

Caadlawon said they will continue to observe the man and will ask help from Muslim friends to verify if the man speaks their language.