AFP says Jolo blast not a suicide bombing mission

AFP says Jolo blast not a suicide bombing mission

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is ruling out the possibility that the twin blasts in Jolo over the weekend were suicide bombing missions as claimed by the Islamic State terrorists.

Colonel Noel Detoyato, AFP Public Affairs Office (PAO) chief, also said investigators are three to four more six persons of interest aside from the three suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group who were caught in a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera near the explosion site.

Western Mindanao Command spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Besana earlier said the three alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf including alias Kamah, brother of slain ASG leader Surakah Ingog, were already considered suspects as they were seen in the CCTV footage while in the act of detonating the explosives.

A total of 21 people were killed while over a hundred were wounded when two IEDs exploded at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu while a Mass was being held on Sunday morning, January 27.

Detoyato said that based on the accounts of the survivors who are still undergoing treatment at the hospital, a woman was seen leaving a bag in the fifth row of church pews before the first explosion occurred.

“Parang on the fifth row iniwan ‘yung bag umalis ‘yung babae then a few seconds after may sumabog so yun ang method of deployment so hindi s’ya suicide bombing. So ang method of deployment ng IED (improvised explosive device) iniwan ‘yung bag ng babae and then remotely, it was remotely detonated so that would dispel the reports na may suicide bombing,” he said.

Among the slain government forces were Sergeant Mark Des P. Simbre, Corporals John B. Mangawit, Jr. and Minard Jann P. Ocier, Private First Class Alizon L. Ayoman and Private Hernan U. Bulaybulay all members of the Philippine Army and Philippine Coast Guard personnel SN2 Jaypee M. Galicha.

The civilian fatalities were identified as Leo Herbolario, Bibing Perpetua, Reynaldo Pescadera, Sr., Ridzmar Mukadil, Romolo B. Reyes, Albacora Perpetua, Niseria Dela Cruz, Cecilia Sanchez, Daisy P. Delos Reyes, Dolores S. Tan, Fe Non, Juliet Jaime, Leah Angelica Reyes and Chenly Rubio.

The latest casualty was a youth leader who expired while being treated at the hospital.

Security lapses

Meanwhile, Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana admitted that there were security lapses which resulted in the incident.

“That is correct, there were reports that Catholic churches in Jolo, Basilan and Zamboanga would be bombed as early as August 2018 with Jolo as most probable. Since then, the Jolo Cathedral has been guarded by soldiers 24 hours a day. We will never know how the bombers got in or near the church as the soldiers guarding the main door all died,” he said.

“Other soldiers who were getting in to rescue the victims of the first explosion inside the church were also hit by the second bomb. Was there a lapse? While we were briefed that all people going inside were searched, it is possible that there may be a lapse in the procedure,” he added.

Detoyato said it is not the right time for finger-pointing as such incident is an act of terrorism “which is a very complex crime” that even a nation with advanced technology fails to prevent.

Lockdown

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde said the lockdown in Jolo town is expected to be lifted soon as the evidence gathering process is already completed.

However, he maintained that the lockdown does not restrict residents from undertaking their normal activities.

“The lockdown is just a precautionary measure in support of ongoing security operations to establish strong control points in ingress and egress to and from Jolo by putting up roadblocks and checkpoints,” he said.

“It also allows investigators more flexibility to move around,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)

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