Abu Sayyaf bomb maker arrested in Zamboanga city

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A suspected bomb maker of the Abu Sayyaf was arrested in a raid on a pension house in Barangay Putik in this city  on Monday night.

Benjar Idarus Engeng,  alias Ben Akmad, a native of Isabela, Basilan, was collared at about 10:30 p.m. by operatives of the Zamboanga City police, regional police, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Center for Transnational Crime and 84th Special Action Company.

The raid was based on a search warrant issued by a local court.

An improvised explosive device (IED) was allegedly recovered from the suspect.

“The type of the IED shows the expertise of this person…he has a lot of experience,” Senior Superintendent Vince Neri Ignacio, Zamboanga City police chief, said.

However, Engeng said he only yielded a replica of an IED. He said his companion he identified only as Amilhasan made the IED to take its photo and send it to their contact in Bongao town in exchange for P30,000.

“There is no explosive chemical inside. I did not make it…I was only tasked to fix the wirings using glue. It will not explode,” he said.

Engeng also denied he is an Abu Sayyaf bandit. He said he is a former member of the Moro National Liberation Front based in Basilan.