Cops hunt 3 in Leyte bomb blasts

Chief Supt. Elmer Cruz Beltejar, PNP regional director, inspectes the blast site at the Hilongos Rizal Plaza on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. (Photo by VICKY C. ARNAIZ)

HILONGOS, Leyte — Police are tracking down three men believed to be responsible for two explosions at the plaza here that wounded 32 people during the town fiesta on Dec. 28.

Two of three bombs planted in the plaza were remotely set off by cell phones as an amateur boxing competition was taking place on the night of Dec. 28 as part of the town fiesta.

Most of the injuries were caused by the first explosion, as the second bomb did little damage, police said.

Police recovered the third bomb, which failed to explode, Hilongos Mayor Albert Villahermosa reported on the day after the attack.

Security camera footage

Senior Insp. Alberto Renomeron Jr., Hilongos police chief, said on Monday that footage from security cameras indicated that one man might have planted a bomb near the stage where the boxing match was taking place and another near the water tank at the plaza.

The man appeared to have two companions who helped him plant the bombs, Renomeron said.

The police chief, however, declined to give more details, as the attack was still under investigation.

Intensified security

But Renomeron said that based on the footage, the suspects were acting suspiciously as people in the plaza were closely watching the boxing match, which made police believe the three men were behind the explosions.

When arrested, he said, the suspects would be charged with multiple frustrated murder.

Police have stepped up their visibility in the town. Troops from the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade have been brought in to help the police secure the town.

A 10 p.m.-to-5 a.m. curfew has been in place prior to the bomb attack, and this has been intensified after the explosions, with soldiers patrolling the streets and watching the town plaza.

Checkpoints have been thrown up at strategic places in the town, which is located 146 kilometers from the regional capital, Tacloban City.

Earlier, despite comments from President Duterte and security officials that the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Maute bandit group could be responsible for the explosions, Hilongos police said they were looking at the possibility that a drug or a counterfeit currency gang was behind the attack.

Mayor Villahermosa said on Monday he was confident the suspects would fall soon.

“The police are doing everything they can to solve this incident with the help of the [security camera] footage,” he said.

Villahermosa urged residents not to be afraid and return to their normal activities while being alert, as the perpetrators remained loose.

As part of efforts to maintain normality in the town, the municipal government went ahead with the annual Alikaraw Festival on Dec. 31. The get-together drew more than 3,000 participants.

Tourist attraction

The 300-square-meter town plaza, about 40 meters from the town hall, has become sort of a tourist attraction since the bomb attack.

Some tourists have been seen taking pictures at the plaza, where public events like the Alikaraw Festival and basketball games are held.

The police cordon was removed on Saturday and the plaza was cleaned up.

Fragments of the homemade bombs, made from 81-millimeter mortar rounds, have been recovered by the police.