MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang is not ruling out the possibility of the involvement of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the bombing at Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) in Zamboanga City that left two people dead and 22 others wounded last Thursday.
Initial investigation into the incident revealed the style of the attack bore the signature of the MILF even as the group denied involvement.
“Regardless of whether they (MILF) admit to it or not, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is still doing its investigation on the matter,” Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said.
Golez stressed the PNP will give “heavier consideration” to the MILF denial and “it was good that they declared that they did not have any participation” in the bombing.
“But we prefer that we wait for the investigation of the PNP,” he said.
Golez said the government’s anti-terror campaign remains in place but the people should help by reporting suspicious incidents.
Officials said survivors of the blast took the initiative to come forward as witnesses and help investigators identify the suspects behind the bombing.
Most of the wounded have been discharged after being treated at a local hospital here but five remain in critical condition, police said.
Zamboanga City police chief Senior Superintendent Lurimer Detran said the victims have volunteered to describe one of the suspects who was seen leaving a traveling bag at the scene shortly before the explosion occurred.
The bomb was believed to have been set off by a cellular phone.
Police said the bomb bore the signature of the Special Operation Group (SOG), a faction of MILF in tactical alliance with extremist Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militants.
Detran said the police sketches of the suspect as described by witnesses would firm up intelligence reports that the group was behind the attack.
“Once we have come up with the cartographic sketch this will bolster our investigation as to the identity of the bomb and the group he is involved with,” Detran said.
Investigators said they have yet to determine the other suspects or accomplices in the bombing.
A retired policeman Abdurasul Adjie Sabban has been invited for questioning after he was found to be the registered owner of a white van seen speeding away from the scene shortly before the explosion occurred.
Police said Sabban’s van bore shrapnel holes, leading investigators to suspect that thee vehicle was used by the bombers.
Sabban was allowed to leave after questioning but his vehicle was held for forensic testing.
Detran said a combined police and military team of intelligence operatives are tracking down the movements of known Abu Sayyaf militants who were earlier traced to have been deployed in Western Mindanao.
Authorities suspected a diversionary attack by terrorist groups in the airbase as a prelude to more bombings.
To prevent another attack, officials are reviewing security measures.
“We have to review our security forces here. We will see where we have to strengthen, so we have to share some of our security forces if needed,” said Col. Darwin Guerra, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Task Force Zamboanga.
Guerra pointed out Zamboanga City hosts various military and police units that operate in the whole of Western Mindanao region.
The Abu Sayyaf has targeted Zamboanga City, a predominantly Roman Catholic trading city, in the past. They were blamed by police for two nearly simultaneous bombings that damaged a cathedral and a commercial building in April.
Detran, on the other hand, said they are looking into the possible link of the abduction of businessman Inocente Bautista in the attack, citing that one of the abductors was said to have undergone training with the MILF camp in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay province.
The police identified one of the three captors of Bautista as a certain Renante Bacalso, who reportedly underwent training with MILF leader Usman Lidjal.
Detran said there has been no word yet from the kidnappers on their demand for the safe release of Bautista.
Bautista, proprietor of the Westmidco, a distributorship warehouse, was snatched by three gunmen at his office in Cabato Road Tuesday and initially brought to Sacol Island near the city. – Paolo Romero, Roel Pareño, James Mananghaya, Jaime Laude