Deadly Sulu Army camp blasts: Who is Norman Lasuca?

Norman Lasuca. Photo from Armed Forces of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Norman Lasuca was tagged as one of the two suspected suicide bombers in the twin explosions that left eight people dead at an Army camp in Indanan, Sulu last week.

Authorities confirmed Wednesday that DNA samples taken from one alleged suicide bomber belonged to Lasuca as it matched with DNA samples taken from his mother, Vilma Lasuca.

So, who is Norman Lasuca?

‘Battered son’

Citing the testimony of Lasuca’s mother,  officials said the suspected suicide bomber was a brutally abused son by his father, who is a minimum wage earner.

“Ang general information sa atin ang tatay niya ay laborer so pagod, mababa ang sweldo malamang napagdidiskitahan sa pag-uwi ng hapon. ‘Yun ang information na nakarating sa atin,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Brig. Gen. Edgar Arevalo said in a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo.

Lasuca’s mother also told authorities that her son went missing in 2014 and that she believes he possibly joined the Abu Sayyaf Group, according to Arevalo.

“Nung nawala nung 2014 hindi na siya iniulat ng magulang, maaaring sumali sa ibang grupo o nadala sa ibang lugar,” Arevalo said.

He could be the first

Arevalo said the incident in Barangay Kajatian could be the first suicide bombing perpetrated by a Filipino.

PNP Spokesman Col. Bernard Banac said they have yet to affirm if it was indeed Lasuca who detonated the bomb that exploded at the Army camp.

READ: Confirmed: One of two suicide bombers in Sulu blasts a Filipino

/kga