Cotabato blast: 3 questioned

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday vowed to get the culprits behind last Monday’s bombing in Cotabato City as he revealed that political and criminal angles as well as possible links with the ongoing peace process were being pursued by investigators.

Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani Jr. announced that three suspects were in police custody and undergoing interrogation. He declined to identify them.

But Central Mindanao police director
Chief Superintendent Charles Calima Jr. denied that anyone had been arrests.

“No arrests have been made We are still gathering facts and evidence. Our security and law enforcement officers continue to be on high state of alert,” he said.

Guiani earlier dangled a bounty in exchange for any information that would lead to the arrest of those behind the bombing.

This developed as the death toll from the explosion rose to nine as officials pointed to political rivalry as a possible motive.

A total of 34 people were wounded in the blast, 13 of them still in critical condition at the hospital.

Two of the eight fatalities were children, nine-year-old Jeddin Menak and Nasrudin Guialel, 14, according to investigators.

Police investigators are looking at the possibility that the attack was aimed at a convoy carrying the sister of the mayor, Cynthia Sayadi.

“Our initial investigation is leading to that conclusion,” city police chief Senior Superintendent Rolen Balquin said.

Guiani urged the police to pursue all angles and build an airtight case against the bombers.

“I will not reveal how much money I will pay as bounty, but I can discuss it with potential witnesses and informants in my office,” Guiani said.

Guiani said he is convinced that either he, or his sister, was the target of the bombing.

“We received information purporting there are threats on our lives one week before the incident,” he said.

Guiani revealed at a news conference yesterday that big-time drug dealers are out to kill him and his sister.

Guiani said he would reveal them if they would not surrender to the police.

“Clearly the bomb was for me or my sister because we have advocated to get rid of the drug menace,” he said.

Guiani said the bomb-laden vehicle parked in front of the Villa Funeral Home along Sinsuat Avenue was apparently set off as the convoy of his sister was passing by.

Investigators said it was the mayor’s sister who was riding his dark blue Chevrolet Suburban that was less than ten meters away from the bomb when it went off.

“It was just fortunate that there were vehicles ahead,” Guiani said.

The explosion triggered a fire that destroyed the Mitsubishi Strada pickup truck and a mini dump truck ahead of the mayor’s sport utility vehicle.

Balquin said combined police and Army bomb experts are still sifting through the scene to determine the kind of explosives used in the attack.

Sources revealed an incendiary bomb rigged underneath the multicab caused the explosion.

“It’s an incendiary bomb composed of almost five kilos ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel along with metal fragments,” a police official said.

Balquin confirmed this information and said the investigators have gathered pieces of evidence indicating the explosive was an incendiary bomb.

Balquin also said they are now looking into the possibility that it was either the mayor or his sister who was the target.

“Considering there were threats on their lives, we need to look into that angle, without discounting all other possible angles,” he said.

Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP-Public Information Office (PIO) chief, added investigators are pursuing leads of a possible bomb-for-hire syndicate.

“We could look at the possibility why bomb was used instead of an ambush type because of an emerging modus, instead of gun for hire it might be bomb for hire,” Sindac said.

He said the new modus of bomb-for-hire, instead of gun-for-hire, can serve a peculiar purpose, especially if the target always rides in bulletproof vehicle or the victim has security and wears bulletproof vest.

Sindac also cited the initial suspicions of the Cotabato City police that the attack was meant for Sayadi.

“We are exploring this more seriously but we are not discounting all others angles related to that incident,” Sindac said.

He noted that most of the victims in the blast were connected to Sayadi.

The military said they are supporting the police in conducting an investigation into the incident.

“We are continuously conducting joint assessment to be able to identify the suspects and their motives in launching the attack,” said Col. Custodio Parcon, commander of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 (MBLT-1) based in the city.

Parcon, however, stressed it would be too early to conclude the bombing was politically motivated.

“We don’t want to speculate at this time. A joint police and military investigation is still underway,” he said.

Police interviewed Sayadi, who is also the city administrator, at her hospital bed where she was treated for minor injuries.

Balquin, however, did not disclose what Sayadi told investigators.

“Isn’t it obvious? Do I have to state the obvious?” Sayadi said in an interview with ABS-CBN, apparently supporting the police theory.

Her brother had won a second three-year term in May, defeating a former Cotabato mayor and senior leader of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that signed a peace treaty with the government in 1996.

Two of Sayadi’s bodyguards were among those killed by the bomb, which was apparently planted in a vehicle parked at the side of the road, Balquin said.

Balquin, however, said the authorities were not ruling out the possible involvement of Islamic militants or groups opposed to ongoing peace talks between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

‘The same suspects’

President Aquino said he would convene the Cabinet security cluster to assess the situation.

Aquino revealed there are already suspects in the bombing.

“There are suspects... at this point in time the suspects have been the objects of our concern for a very long time and we’ve been pursuing the same suspects,” Aquino said.

“It’s not yet certain that they are the parties responsible for this. Like in other instances, I am sure we will be able to get all of these culprits in due time,” he said.

Asked about possible failure of intelligence, Aquino said police and military authorities would always encounter difficulties given the vast responsibilities and population that they must handle despite their small number.

Aquino said the people should take note that some sectors would not want the peace process with the MILF to continue.

Aquino said “terrorists by their nature” were few and in hiding but they could be found in the very near future.

The military, on the other hand, has mobilized its key intelligence units to prevent possible spillover of the bombings.

“Our intelligence units are on alert to thwart any possible threats. It’s a continuous process in order to preempt any terror plots. We are doing our best. We have to prevent possible spillover to other areas,” Armed Forces of the Philippines-Public Affairs Office (AFP-PAO) chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said.

Aquino stressed the bombing could not be linked to the recent US extraordinary global travel warning to Americans about the threat of an al-Qaeda attack and the closured of embassies and consulates as security precaution.

The alert was the first of its kind since an announcement preceding the 10th anniversary of the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US.

Aquino said there was no “indicator” that last Monday’s bombing in Cotabato City and the US terror alert were related.

“Let me reiterate that we are not just looking at the terrorism angle, there is also a potential political angle being looked into in Cotabato, there is criminal aspect in Cagayan de Oro. So we are exhausting all of these leads with developing cases or we’re investigating same leads to determine exactly who perpetrated,” Aquino told reporters after the arrival ceremony for the country’s new warship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz at Subic Bay.

Aquino said it was good that they got the “how” and the “why” of these bombings and “eventually all of these will help us arrest the concerned individuals.”

As regards the call of Guiani to place Cotabato City under a state of emergency, Aquino said the request had not reached him yet but he would study if this would be needed.

He said it might just be an initial reaction of Guiani because of the shocking incident.

Calima also said there is no need to place Cotabato City under a state of emergency.

He said security measures have been in place to prevent another bombing attack.

“Our security and law enforcement officers continue to be on a high state of alert,” Calima said.

Condemnation

Condemnations of the incident came swiftly Monday night, shortly after the bombing.

Muslims in Central Mindanao described the bombing as “ruthless and cowardly.”

Vice President Jejomar Binay urged authorities to track down the bombers.

“I strongly condemn the bombing in Cotabato City that claimed innocent lives. I call on the Cotabato police to do a thorough investigation and arrest the perpetrators at the soonest,” he said. – John Unson, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jaime Laude, Paolo Romero, Marvin Sy, Jose Rodel Clapano, Evelyn Macairan, Ramil Bajo, AP