By Jerold Tagbo
Eagle News Service
The 20-year-old Spanish national who was arrested in Basilan on Monday on suspicion of being a terrorist has denied the allegations against him, saying he was only on vacation in the country.
Abdelhakim Labidi Adib made the statement during inquest proceedings held at the Department of Justice on Wednesday.
“I have nothing to do with this,” Adib told reporters in Spanish.
He said he arrived in Manila on December 17, and then later to Davao.
“And then I stayed for two months in Cagayan de Oro,” he said.
Asked how he got to Basilan, he said “that’s another story.”
“It wasn’t my intention to get to this place,” he said.
Adib was arrested at a Philippine Army checkpoint in Maluso, Basilan on January 22.
He was accompanied by an Abu Sayyaf member, who was on the military’s target list, authorities said.
According to the military, Adib tried to elude the authorities to no avail.
At one point, they said Adib even threw a bag he was carrying.
It was later found to contain bomb components.
Also seized from the suspect were different identification cards, credit cards, passports and money.
Adib’s companion, however, managed to escape.
Adib is facing charges for illegal possession of explosives.
