MANILA -- A US-based martial arts firm on Sunday denied links to a man who was arrested over improvised explosive devices that were sent by mail to personalities there that are vilified by rightists.
The suspect, Cesar Sayoc Jr, claimed on his LinkedIn page that he was the grandson of Baltazar Sayoc, who fought communist guerrillas in the Philippines and was connected with a martial arts system.
Sayoc Global LLC "can clearly and definitely state that Cesar Sayoc Jr has no affiliation with Sayoc Kali," according to a statement from the firm.
The suspect "falsely claimed to be a grandchild" of Baltazar Zook Sayoc, who was described in the statement as the "founder of a Philippine martial art system."
"Sayoc Kali is non-political and is interested only in training individuals in the highest quality of martial arts for the purposes of protection, defense and personal enrichment," the statement said.
"Sayoc Kali condemns in the strongest terms any acts which threaten or inhibit the democratic practices and principles that all Americans and people of free societies hold dear," it said.
Sayoc, 56, of Aventura, Florida, was arrested on Friday for allegedly mailing at least 13 explosive devices to leading Democratic figures, former high-ranking officials and others, FBI Director Christopher Wray said.
Sayoc, a registered Republican with a criminal history and reported past as a stripper, currently faces up to 48 years in prison, although further charges are expected to be filed against him for the mail-bombing campaign, which heightened political tensions and put the US on edge.
-- with reports from Don Tagala, ABS-CBN News
source: news.abs-cbn.com
