COTABATO CITY – A Swedish national and six Filipinos have been indicted for alleged involvement in the Sept. 7, 2019 bombing in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat that wounded seven people in what the military tagged as handiwork of Islamic State-inspired militants.
Police Brig. Gen. Alfred Corpuz, Philippine National Police Region 12 chief, said the Special Investigation Task Group “Manolette” have filed multiple frustrated murder and multiple attempted murders charges against seven suspects at the provincial prosecutors office in Isulan.
Corpuz said four of the indicted suspects – Swedish national Hassan Akgun and Filipinos Abedin Camsa, Normia Camsa, and Norshiya Camsa – were arrested by combined police and military elements in Barangay Kapaya, Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat last Sept. 23.
An M16 rifle, a Colt .45 pistol, a caliber .38 revolver, a shotgun, 13 cellphones, and an improvised explosive device were recovered from the four suspects.
Corpuz identified the fifth indicted suspect as Kamlon Tongab Camsa, said to be vice chairman of the Sabiwang State Committee of the Moro National Liberation Front, who was reportedly arrested in General Santos City also on Sept. 23 while in possession of a bag allegedly containing two hand grenades.
Kamlon had denied owning the explosives or any involvement in the Sept. 7 blast, asserting that he was on his way to a seminar of farmers and irrigators association in General Santos City when he was arrested.
But Police Lt. Col. Capellan of the PNP Region 12 said the discovery of the grenades in Kamlon’s backpack was shown in camera footage.
Also named in the police complaint sheet were Rashid Joven Camsa and Maira Tungab Alimao, who are still at large and under police manhunt, according to Corpuz.
The military’s Western Mindanao Command and the PNP Region 12 deemed the formal indictment of the seven suspects as “initial success” in resolving the Sept. 7 bombing. The WMC said the IS organization through an online post had admitted responsibility in the bomb attack. (Ali Macabalang)
