Indonesian couple left child to Abu Sayyaf backers days before Jolo blasts

MANILA, Philippines — The Indonesian couple believed to be suicide bombers in the January 27 Jolo cathedral twin explosions had a 10-year-old daughter they left to sympathizers of the Abu Sayyaf Group before carrying out the bombings.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año revealed this Thursday, adding that husband and wife left their daughter to Abu Sayyaf supporters three days before the deadly blasts at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, which left 23 people dead and 95 others wounded.

Authorities have pointed to Abu Sayyaf as the perpetrator of the double explosions.

“‘Yung babae[ng suicide bomber], December lang ‘yun dumating [sa Pilipinas]. Tapos meron din ‘yung anak na 10 years old na iniwan dito sa mga symphatizers at supporters ng Abu Sayyaf,” he told reporters.

(The female suicide bomber only arrived in the Philippines last December. She has a child who is 10 years old, whom she left to sympathizers and supporters of the Abu Sayyaf.)

The child is still in Sulu according to intelligence sources, Año said.

According to Año, who retired as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in 2017, the male bomber identified as alias Abu Huda has been in the country for over a year before the blasts. No alias has been identified for his wife.

“‘Yung two Indonesians na ito, gusto nila mag-sample. Baka sakali sumunod ‘yung ibang Pilipino na mag-suicide bombing, pero our culture does not allow such kind of practice,” he said.

(These two Indonesians want to set a sample. Hoping that some Filipinos would follow them to do suicide bombing, but our cultures does not allow such kind of practice.) /kga

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