Raid on Nobleza safehouse yields Abu terror plans

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY , Philippines  – Superintendent Maria Cristina Nobleza, the police official who was said to have a romantic relationship with an Abu Sayyaf bandit, may find herself in deeper trouble after lawmen found documents in her house detailing plans for another terror attack.

The regional police raided Nobleza’s house in Malaybalay City in Bukidnon on Monday and seized several firearms, explosive devices, and a document detailing terror activities of Abu Sayyaf militant Al Mohammar Bayani.

Bayani was arrested along with two minors who were detained for questioning.

Nobleza was earlier arrested, along with her alleged lover, Reneer Lou Dongon, a suspected Abu Sayyaf militant, 11 days after a group of bandits arrived in Bohol to supposedly carry out kidnapping activities.

Government security forces foiled the bandits’ attempt to set up base in the province, killing several of them in separate encounters in Inabanga and Clarin towns.

The clashes resulted in the death of over a dozen people including nine bandits, three soldiers and a police officer.

Investigators however cannot say whether there are other police officers aside from Nobleza who have links with the Abu Sayyaf.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa however admitted the possibility that some policemen may have sacrificed their lives performing their job as intelligence operatives.

“There are agents willing to do that (get intimate) to sacrifice their lives to penetrate criminal groups,” Dela Rosa said without giving details.

But he said the intimate connection between Nobleza and Dongon is not sanctioned by the PNP.

“Initial (investigation showed) it was not sanctioned by the PNP. I am the PNP chief, I must be informed if her job is sanctioned by the PNP. It is not sanctioned, not covered by any coplan (case operation plan),” Dela Rosa said.

“If there is such coplan, they should have turned it over to us,” he added.

Although his initial pronouncement was that Nobleza’s link with Dongon had no authorization from the PNP, Dela Rosa said he also ordered investigation to dig deeper into the case.

“That (possibility of Nobleza as deep penetration agent against the Abu Sayyaf) will form part of the investigation,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño, director of Central Visayas police, said additional charges will be filed against Nobleza in connection with the bomb paraphernalia found on Monday night in Barangay Looc, Panglao and Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

Taliño also revealed Nobleza’s marriage with Senior Supt. Allan Nobleza has been annulled since 2010, though the former chief of the Davao Crime Laboratory still opted to use the surname of her husband. The Noblezas have two children. 

He said Allan will also be invited for questioning as part of the investigation.
Nobleza was a member of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission when she was assigned to interrogate Dongon following his arrest for bombing a hotel in Cagayan de Oro in 2013.

From the interrogation, Dela Rosa remarked, “they let the love begin.”

Taliño said Nobleza and Dongon had an Islamic wedding but he could not yet provide the exact date of the supposed marriage.

Taliño admitted Nobleza’s links with Dongon were accidentally uncovered after their arrest last April 24.

Nobleza was reportedly in Bohol to provide medicine to an Abu Sayyaf militant who was shot and wounded after the encounter with government troops on April 11.

Taliño said Nobleza arrived in Bohol on April 17 with Dongon, his mother Judith and a 13-year-old son of Akmad Santos, also a known terrorist.

Nobleza, who underwent booking procedures at the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame, insisted she only went to Clarin on an assignment. She has yet to present official memos or documents to support her claim.   – With Cecille Suerte Felipe