Abu Sayyaf tagged in Sulu suicide bombing

MANILA, Philippines — The military has tagged the Abu Sayyaf bandit group in a suicide bombing perpetrated by a foreign-looking person in Indanan, Sulu on Sunday afternoon.

The group of Abu Sayyaf leader Hajan Sawadjaan was believed responsible for the attack that left no other fatality aside from the bomber, according to Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said it could not yet ascertain the identity and gender of the suicide bomber.

Probers have yet to examine the tissue samples collected from the remains of the suspect, according to Maj. Arvin John Encinas, spokesman for the Westmincom.

“That’s what we want to establish first, because the face looked like that of a woman, but the severed hand recovered from the scene seemed to belong to a man,” Encinas said.

He said the suspect’s head and face were blown to pieces.

Quoting Westmincom chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Arevalo said the Abu Sayyaf was trying to divert attention as focused military operations are affecting the bandit group.

The AFP said DNA testing is needed to ascertain if the perpetrator is a foreigner.

The bomber, dressed in a hijab, approached the military detachment in Barangay Kajatian and detonated the improvised explosive device strapped to “her” body.  – With Neil Jayson Servallos, Roel Pareño