Isulan mayor tags Dawla Islamiyah’s Abu Toraife group as behind blast

Scene of the Crime Operatives inspect the blast site in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, where 18 individuals, including minors and a pregnant woman, were injured after an improvised explosive device went off on Wednesday afternoon, April 3, 2019. Photo from Police Regional Office 12

DAVAO CITY — Isulan Mayor Marites Pallasigue changed tune Friday, saying the Dawlah Islamiyah’s Abu Toraife’s group was behind Wednesday’s blast at Carlito’s Chicken House.

This contradicted her earlier statement clearing her town of any terror threat this year.

Pallasigue based her latest statement on the reports of the police and the military.

She said in a phone interview that the police and the military were preparing the police sketch of the suspect, believed to be part of Dawlah Islamiyah, which has links with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

“Kasi itong suspek ay may nakausap pa pala na tao bago mangyari ang pagsabog so yun ang aming kukunan ng dagdag na pahayag (The suspect was talking with some persons before the explosion, so, we’re getting more information from him),” Pallasigue said.

She said authorities already had the identity of the ‘person of interest’ behind the bombing but would not disclose anything until after the investigation.

But interviewed by phone, Abu Misry Mama, BIFF spokesperson, denied they had any connection with the Isulan blast.

“Hindi po namin ugali na mandamay ng (It’s not in our character to attack) civilians, at isa pa hindi kami makalabas dahil sa napakaraming checkpoint so paano namin madadala yung bomba (besides, we can’t get out because of the number of checkpoints, so, how can we sneak in the bombs)?” he asked.

Bomb experts said the bomb was fashioned from a highly combustible black powder placed inside a plastic jar rigged with broken nails and metal sheets. It was detonated using a mobile phone.

Pallasigue said eight of the 18 wounded by the bomb had already been out of the hospital while the rest who remained in the hospitals were declared in stable condition.

“We shouldered all their medical expenses and our social welfare team are also attending to their needs,” Pallasigue said.