CDO blast an act of terror – NBI

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has ruled terrorism as the motive in the explosion in Cagayan de Oro City that killed eight people and injured 40 others last month.

NBI regional director Ricardo Diaz said they have formally filed multiple murder charges against bombing suspect Usman Hapids of Khalifa Islamiya Mindanao.

“The bombing was an act of terrorism,” Diaz told The STAR in an interview over the phone yesterday.

Diaz said the case, which the NBI filed before the city prosecutor office, would bolster the criminal charges filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier this month.

Evidence gathered by the NBI focused on Hapids’ alleged participation in the crime. His six to seven accomplices have yet to be identified.

Diaz said six witnesses claimed they saw Hapids at the site before the explosion.

The witnesses provided investigators with separate cartographic sketches, which when compared all pointed to Hapids, said Diaz.

The NBI official said Hapids was seen leaving a bag believed to contain the improvised explosive device (IED) at the LimKetKai Mall on July 26.

The IED went off at about 11 p.m. killing eight persons including Roldan Lagbas, a provincial board member of Misamis Oriental; Edwin Malamay, a doctor, and medical representatives Ryan Palafox, Anthony Cañete, Ryan Estose, and Antonio Paredes.

Diaz said the investigators initially considered politics as the motive in the bombing, noting that Lagbas was one of the fatalities.

“But all our evidence led us to the terrorism angle,” he said.

Diaz said it would have been a big help for the investigators if the restaurants affected by the blast had surveillance cameras focused on the customers.

“Actually they do have CCTV cameras, but these are focused on their cashiers and kitchens. None of the cameras were focused on the customers,” he said.

Diaz said the NBI would now focus on identifying the second and third suspects.

He said witnesses have come forward and provided information that could help the agency identify a second suspect.