Lorenzana on Basilan blast: Don’t jump to conclusions

DEFENSE SEC. LORENZANA / JUNE 11, 2018
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana attends the flag-raising ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on the eve of Independence Day. Lorenzana said on Monday to the reporters that the previous administration ‘mismanaged’ the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute amid criticisms that the current government is mishandling the issue.
INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday told the public not to speculate about the Basilan blast that killed 11 people on Tuesday.

“There are several theories circulating regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident. Although we are not discounting them entirely, all of these are just pure speculation at this time and are now the subject of an investigation being conducted by a joint team of the AFP and PNP,” he said in a statement about the incident suspected by some as a suicide bombing.

“I enjoin everyone not to jump to any conclusion and just allow our investigators to do their job,” he added.

A military report released shortly after the incident said the driver of a van flagged down at a military checkpoint in Lamitan City on Tuesday morning appeared to be a foreigner.

The van exploded and killed a soldier, five militiamen, four civilians and the driver.

AFP spokesperson Edgard Arevalo also played down the speculations, saying there was still no basis to conclude that it was a suicide bombing.

The military said it was the Abu Sayyaf under Furuji Indama who was behind the explosion.

Lorenzana said they would do everything within their power to get to the bottom of the incident.

The incident came a few days after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law and expressed his willingness to have a dialogue with the Abu Sayyaf. /cbb