Taguig City gift bomb suspect 'arrested'

Police claimed Thursday to have arrested a woman behind a deadly gift bomb incident that killed a housewife in Taguig City last December 29. But radio dzBB reported Friday that Taguig City police deputy head Senior Superintendent Federico Castro Jr. declined to name the woman for now, as follow-up operations are still ongoing. According to the report, the police claimed the arrest was the latest development in the case after authorities police announced last week they had pieced together a sketch of the woman linked to the gift bombing incident that killed Yvonne Chua, 31. The sketch had described the woman as wearing sunglasses, with shoulder-length hair, about 20 to 25 years old, and 4'11" to five feet tall, with brown complexion. An initial investigation had showed Chua was killed after opening a gift box that contained grenades. Chua was killed after one of the five grenades, which were packaged as a gift, exploded as she opened the package. Her husband and son were not hurt. Metro Manila police chief Director Nicanor Bartolome earlier said they are pursuing the theory that a family feud could be behind the incident, noting that the victim had received threats though text messages. He also said their initial interviews with members of the Chuas’ household indicated the one who gave the gift claimed to be a household helper of a relative of the victim. — LBG, GMANews.TV