PNP: Filipino suicide bombers possible culprits in Sulu military camp blasts

The site of the bomb blasts at the newly-established camp of the 1st Brigade Combat Team in Indanan, Sulu. (Photo by JULIE ALIPALA / Inquirer Mindanao)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) believes that Filipino suicide bombers are responsible for the twin explosion in a military camp in Sulu that killed eight people, including the perpetrators, and wounded at least a dozen others.

“[Ang] alam lang natin, even the Armed Forces of the Philippines, ay alam ang [identity ng] mga ito, and they are not foreign nationals. ‘Yun ang alam natin. Hindi ito mga foreign nationals,” PNP chief General Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday.

“As the AFP has already said, [sila] ay talagang suicide bombers,” he added.

Albayalde said it will be the first time that Filipinos were used as suicide bombers if the information of state forces is accurate.

He did not confirm if the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was behind the attack last June 28, even as the international terror group claimed that the bombings were perpetrated by its members. Albayalde noted ISIS normally claims such kind of atrocity.

READ: IS claims Sulu suicide bombing; 8 dead

Albayalde said the PNP will not deploy additional forces to Sulu following the explosions. Instead, the Special Action Force will just “concentrate” to reinforce the Armed Forces of the Philippines and police offices in areas vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

He said investigators have yet to identify the type of explosives used in the twin explosions. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)