2 female suicide bombers AFP lost track due to death of intel execs are behind Jolo blasts–Army chief

Army chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana. INQUIRER Mindanao file photo / JULIE S. ALIPALA

MANILA, Philippines — The two suicide bombers that the military was trailing but lost track due to the death of its four intelligence officers are responsible for the two explosions that rocked Jolo, Sulu, a military official said Tuesday.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana told INQUIRER.net on Tuesday that two female suicide bombers were the subject of the operation of four Army intelligence agents last June 29.

“That is correct. May mga witnesses saka ito yung sinusubaybayan natin kung natatandaan niyo nung last June 29, yung sinubject ng manhunt (operation) ng intelligence operative. Nagkaroon ng disruption at namatay yung apat na operatives natin,” Sobejana said.

(That is correct. There are witnesses and this is one of our previous operations if you can recall last June 29, they were the subject of the manhunt operations of our intelligence operatives. A disruption happened and four of our operatives were killed.)

Sobejana was referring to the military officers who were undertaking an anti-terrorism operation against the suicide bombers when they were shot dead allegedly by law enforcers in the province last June 29.

In a previous report, Army spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said the death of the soldiers also caused the military to lose track of the two suicide bombers.

The military official also noted that they will ramp up efforts to investigate Jolo blasts, which left 11 people dead and 24 others wounded on Monday, Aug. 24.

“Actually, that is our objective kasi we cannot afford that subsequent bombings masyado nang bugbog yung Jolo [Jolo is already badly beaten],” he said when asked about updates on their efforts on investigation after the Jolo blasts.

JPV