Two Indonesians are behind the twin blasts at the Jolo church in Sulu and were aided by the Abu Sayyaf Group, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año bared Friday.
Speaking at the barangay summit on peace and order in Leyte, Año disclosed that the Abu Sayyaf Group provided surveillance to guide the Islamic State-affiliated foreign couple in targeting the cathedral in Jolo last Jan. 27.
“Ang talagang nagpasabog doon ay Indonesian suicide bombers,” said the DILG chief who represented President Duterte who had to skip the barangay assembly since he was not feeling well.
“Pero ‘yung mga Abu Sayyaf ang nagguide sa kanila, nag-aral ng target, nagreconnaissance, nag-surveillance, at inihatid ‘yung mag-asawa doon sa loob ng simbahan,” he added.
Twenty-two people were killed and dozens others were injured in the incident. President Duterte earlier announced that husband-and-wife suicide bombers were likely behind the blasts. He has condemned the terror attack and directed the military to destroy the Abu Sayyaf Group by whatever means.
Of the 22 dead, Año said only two dismembered bodies have neither been identified nor recovered by any family member. He said these were likely the suicide bombers behind the attack.
“Meron dalawa doon, walang nagke-claim, walang nakakakilala. Dalawang pares ng paa ng babae at isang ulo ng lalake,” he said.
Año also said the church blast was a “project” by the Abu Sayyaf Group and the IS-linked foreign fighters who were after “mass casualities” and sought to elevate the conflict in a “religious war.”
He added that while he obtained information about the suspected suicide bombers from his sources, the investigation into the incident continues.
“Hindi pa tapos ang ginagawang imbestigasyon but I have sources, information na ‘tong pagpapasabog ay project ng Abu Sayyaf at foreign terrorists na affiliated sa ISIS,” he said.
Año said some names of the suspects were gathered but authorities were still validating the aliases.
He also said the blasts were likely part of the 2017 Marawi crisis where terror suspects sought to establish an IS base in Mindanao. The attack was also connected with the 2018 Lamitan, Basilan bombing carried out by the ASG suspects, he added.
The DILG Secretary however dispelled speculations that the Jolo blast was linked to the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
“Dapat kung they’re trying to influence the votes, dapat during or before the BOL. Although alam natin anti-BOL yung Abu Sayyaf at sala yung mga ISIS. But para sa akin, they are after mass casualties and they are after killing Christians to elevate the war into a religious war,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)
