Cotabato City bomb suspect held
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Tue, 08 Jan 2019 10:55:40 +0000
SUSPECT’S photo provided by police.
POLICE have placed under their custody one of the suspects in the bombing near a mall in Cotabato City last month that left three people dead and more than 30 others wounded.
Chief Supt. Eliseo Rasco, director of the Central Mindanao regional police, said that Salippudin Pasandalan, 56, was surrendered by his relatives on Sunday after seeing a news story showing his picture that was captured from a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV).
It was recalled that the police have released two pictures of possible suspects based on the CCTV. The young male person was believed to have planted the bomb in front of the South Seas Complex on December 31.
The other suspect is reportedly Pasandalan.
“He was surrendered by his relatives on Sunday night and the investigation is ongoing… he is really the one in the picture, in the CCTV,” said Rasco.
“But he’s denying it. He is now assisted by his lawyers so he would not talk. But he’s denying it,” he added.
The improvised explosive was left near a lotto outlet and killed three people during explosion. At least 34 others were wounded.
Another bomb was discovered inside the mall during the paneling of police and military bomb experts. Fortunately, it was not detonated.
Authorities are eyeing the involvement of either a terror group linked to an international terror group, or a group that opposes and plans to sabotage the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
“Until now, we are studying as to what the motive really is. We still do not know what group is behind,” said Rasco.
The military earlier tagged the remnants of the Jemaah Islamiyah but Rasco would not confirm it.
“We work on evidence. It all depends on the evidence that we would get,” said Rasco.
Meanwhile, Rasco said he had already ordered the Special Investigation Task Group to file a case against the identified perpetrators.
Security forces are now on guard in Mindanao, especially in areas where the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law would be held.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region will replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).(Aaron Recuenco)