Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte led the offering of prayer, flowers and candles at the memorial marker in Roxas Avenue. (Robby Joy D. Salveron/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio lauded law enforcers for the arrest of a woman suspected to have links with the group behind the Roxas night market bombing last year.
Duterte-Carpio on Thursday, October 19, commended the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police units in their efforts in ensuring that those responsible for the tragic bombing which killed 15 and injured over 60 others were “put to justice”.
Karen Aizha Hamidon, 36, was arrested by the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on October 11 in her condominium in Taguig City.
The NBI reported that Hamidon is the widow of the slain Mohammad Jaafar Manguid, leader of Philippine-based militant group Ansar Khalifa, the group identified to be responsible for the Davao night market explosion on September 2 last year.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday, October 18, said Hamidon has been a “person of interest” after gaining “international notoriety” in 2016 following her successful recruitment on several Indian nationals to join the radical Islamic extremist groups in Mindanao.
Hamidon allegedly used messaging applications Telegram and WhatsApp to invite Muslims to join fight against government forces in Marawi. NBI reports also revealed that forensic examinations on her cellphone showed 296 posts on the said applications promoting rebellion.
Hamidon is currently facing 14 counts of inciting to rebellion charges filed against her before the Department of Justice.(davaotoday.com)
