A person of interest linked to the deadly bomb attack in a church in Jolo, Sulu was identified by authorities Monday in what could be seen as one of the earliest developments in the case.
Secretary of Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año said in a press briefing in Jolo that the person of interest was caught in a closed-circuit television camera which was earlier obtained by the military.
The person of interest was seen roaming around the vicinity of Jolo Cathedral with a group of men moments before the twin explosions.
Philippine National Police chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde, said a deeper probe on the identity of the person of interest has already been conducted.
Año and Albayalde did not reveal the identity of the person of interest but the name of an alleged brother of a slain Abu Sayyaf Group leader is being floated.
“Merong sinasabi ‘yung provincial director na one person pero we’re looking at a group, of course kasi there are several threat groups dito,” Albayalde said.
Año and Albayalde said investigators are still determining whether or not the incident was a suicide bombing as earlier reports suggested.
“Yung sinasabing suicide bombing, wala pa tayong ebidensya na ito ay perpetrated ng suicide bomber,” Albayalde said.
Año revealed that there is likely a connection between the Jolo blast and the July 31, 2018 Lamitan, Basilan bombing which claimed 10 lives and injured seven others.
Año said that after the post-blast investigation, bomb experts noticed some similarities between the improvised explosive devices used in the two bomb attacks.
Albayalde said the IEDs were contained in galvanized iron sheets as big as a canister container which can hold as many as two kilos of explosives.
“’Yung shrapnel na ginamit, hindi ma-ascertain kasi wala pang nakuhang evidence,” he stated. (Martin Sadongdong)
