‘Sulu suicide bombing could be first by Pinoys’

MANILA, Philippines — The twin Sulu blasts in a military base last week could be the first case of suicide bombings perpetrated by Filipinos, according to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde.

Although the identities of the perpetrators are still being ascertained, Albayalde said it could be the first incident wherein the suicide bombers are Filipinos.

He said the PNP is verifying and confirming together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) the identities of the two suspects who were killed after they set off bombs at the tactical command post of the First Army Brigade Combat Team (1BCT) in Sitio Tanjung, Barangay Kajatian.

What both the PNP and AFP have established with certainty so far is that the bombers were not foreigners, Albayalde told a press briefing yesterday.

Adjustments need to be made following this discovery that the bombers could be Filipinos,  according to Albayalde.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the bombing that claimed the lives of eight people, including three soldiers and three civilians, and injured 22 others.

Albayalde, however, downplayed this, saying the IS has a habit of claiming responsibility for such atrocities.

The group is believed to have ties with local terrorists who attacked and occupied Marawi City in 2017.

The PNP chief said their Explosives and Ordnance Office is still gathering evidence to determine the kind of bomb used.

He added that they are reminding all officers on the ground to intensify security and target hardening measures in the area following the blasts.

This is the third suicide attack in a span of one year, the first having been 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 last January.

Beefing up security

Confirming that last Friday’s attack on a military base in Indanan, Sulu was a case of suicide bombing, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said security in Metro Manila and other urban areas in the country should be beefed up.

“Well, all we have to do is we can be very watchful and be very vigilant here. Hopefully it will not come to Manila or any other urban centers in the Philippines,” he told reporters in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.

Lorenzana said security and intelligence information gathering in Metro Manila should be intensified to prevent similar suicide bombing attacks from happening in the metropolis.

He confirmed that the attack on the Philippine Army’s 1st Brigade Command Team camp was carried out by suicide bombers.

“That is evident from the report of the soldiers because this guy knocked on the gate, so the guard went near to ask what the person needs. When the guard was near the gate, the person exploded. So this obviously is a suicide bombing,” Lorenzana said.

“This is the third one… So this is becoming an occurrence and we are very much concerned about this,” he added.

Lorenzana, however, gave assurance that troops on the ground know what to do and would address the problem of extremism as the IS has already claimed responsibility for the attack and DNA testing on the nationality of the suicide bombers is being done. – Michael Punongbayan, Alexis Romero, John Unson, Roel Pareño