Kidapawan cops arrest cleric in search for bombs

By Jeoffrey Maitem, Charlie Señase

COTABATO CITY, Philippines -- Police have arrested a Muslim cleric following the seizure of what they said were components during a raid on his home in Kidapawan City but which the priest himself insisted was fertilizer.

Chief Inspector Leo Ajero, Kidapawan City police chief, identified the cleric as Ustadz Abdulhasis Hassan of the village of Nuangan.

Ajero said the raid was conducted Friday following the arrest of a suspected member of the al-Khobar Gang who told investigators about the presence of the alleged bomb components in Hassan’s house.

Ajero admitted police found no bomb inside the house during the raid but "bomb components."
Hassan, a member of the North Cotabato Ulama-Priest Federation, denied hiding any explosive in his house.

He also said what the police seized was fertilizer supplied by the provincial government. Hassan said the urea seized by the police was to be used on his banana and rubber farms. Hassan's son Alihudin, who is Nuangan village councilor, also told authorities his father was not engaged in terrorism.

He said the urea was intended for use on their farms.

North Cotabato Governor Jesus Sacdalan told the Philippine Daily Inquirer he will double check with the provincial agriculture office because he was not aware of fertilizer being distributed by the provincial government last year.

He said he will also check if Hassan was listed as a recipient of the fertilizer.