Sulu troops told: Bombing means lax security

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday called on government troops in Sulu to strengthen their security measures in the wake of explosions that left eight people dead at a military camp in Indanan town last week.

The bombings, which targeted the command post of the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, claimed the lives of three soldiers, three civilians and two suspected bombers in Barangay Kajatian last Friday, according to military reports. It also injured 12 other soldiers and civilians.

Islamic State, the extremist group that inspired local terrorists to occupy Marawi City in 2017, claimed responsibility for the attack. 

“The fact alone that suicide bombers were able to enter the area means they need to implement more security protocols. I’m sure they (military) learned a lot from the incident,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a radio interview, admitting that it is hard to stop suicide bombers from committing atrocities. 

Malacañang has vowed to pursue the people behind the attack and to “destroy the enemies of the state as well as their supporters.” Mindanao has been under martial law since the 2017 Marawi siege. 

The Department of National Defense (DND) also assured the public and the victims of the incident to make those responsible for the attack pay for their crimes. 

“We extend our sympathies to the victims of this heinous act, and vow to hunt down those who are responsible. Rest assured that government forces on the ground are conducting a deeper investigation on the incident and will not stop until those who are behind it are caught or eradicated,” said DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong yesterday.

Reelected Rep. Jericho Nograles of party-list Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta expressed fears that bombing is “becoming a weapon of choice for the Islamic extremists in the country.” 

“So far, we do not know if the suicide bombers were foreigners. However, judging from the past, Filipinos do not engage in suicide bombing,” said Nograles, son of the late speaker Prospero Nograles. 

He added that the incoming 18th Congress (July 2019-July 2022), which will convene on July 22, should “prioritize national security legislation such as amending the Human Security Act of 2007 (Republic Act 9372).”  

“Our armed forces and police cannot fully protect us without the law enabling them to do so. For example, there are no provisions on cyber-terrorism but there are penalties against law enforcers if they arrest or detain a cyber-terrorist,” Nograles noted. 

He pointed out that the incident is already the third suicide attack in a year – the first was done by a Moroccan national in Lamitan, Basilan in July 2018 followed by the Mt. Carmel Cathedral bombing in Jolo that was executed by Indonesians in January this year. 

“These brazen attacks must be stopped. The military and the police can only do so much to protect us from this new method of terror. We really need the cooperation of our people so that we can bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to justice,” he stressed. 

Sulu, according to him, has apparently “lately been the playground of terrorists.” – With Michael Punongbayan, Delon Porcalla, Mayen Jaymalin