Mom of Kabacan blast fatality wants to see arrested suspect

KIDAPAWAN CITY
– The family of Monique Mantawil today welcomed the arrest of one of the
suspects in the Kabacan bombing that left her dead and 16 others wounded.

Florence
Mantawil, Monique’s mother, told DXND Rado Bida Kidapawan, that the news about
the arrest of Badrudin Abid of Purok Kristlam, Barangay Poblacion, Kabacan,
came as a relief but still the pain remains.

If given the
chance, Florence said she would talk to Abid and asked him some questions.

Kakausapin ko
siya (I will personally talk to him). I will ask him why he did it and to
convince him to identify his companions and help police locate them,” Florence said.

Quoting a
witness, Senior Supt. Danilo Peralta, North Cotabato police chief, said the
suspect was the one who assembled and planted the improvised bomb at an
overpass in Kabacan.

Florence was
convince Abid was the culprit even without the benefit of a court decision.

I will ask
him what if he was in my shoes, how he feels, how painful it is to lose a
daughter,” she added.

Abid was
arrested at a police checkpoint in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat province
on Tuesday afternoon after his friend, who turned witness, helped police in
locating him.

Peralta said Abid’s
friend who claimed he was bothered by his conscience seeing one of the students
died and 16 others hurt, helped the police in locating him.Peralta quoted
the witness as saying he saw Abid assembled the improvised bomb fashioned from
81 mm mortar, carried it to the overpass and set it off using a mobile phone.

Abid, now
detained at the PNP provincial police office in Barangay Amas in Kidapawan
City, is charged with murder, multiple frustrated murder in connection with the
Nov. 16 bombing. He was also facing
carnapping and robbery charges.