Cops identify suspect in Sultan Kudarat church blast

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 29): Cops identify suspect in Sultan Kudarat church blast

Police authorities in Sultan Kudarat province said on Tuesday they have already identified one of the two suspects in the bombing in front of a Catholic church in Esperanza town on Sunday morning that injured three people.

Sr. Supt. Raul Supiter, Sultan Kudarat police director, said several witnesses positively identified a suspect who was reportedly of the two men riding-in-tandem on a motorcycle who left a homemade bomb that exploded at around 6:40 a.m near the gate of the Our Lady of Hope Church in Barangay Saliao in Esperanza town.

“The suspect was identified by witnesses based on the rogue gallery of the Esperanza police station,” he said.

The police official did not disclose the identity of the suspect due to an ongoing pursuit operation.

Based on the initial results of their ongoing investigation, Supiter said the suspects are allegedly members of an armed group operating in parts of Sultan Kudarat.

As to the motive, he said it appears to be a retaliation for an operation three months ago that led to the killing of its leader identified as a certain “Kumander Boyet.”

The suspect was killed after resisting the implementation of a search warrant at his alleged base by police operatives.

The explosive, which was placed in a plastic bag, went off at the end of the first mass.

Three churchgoers sustained slight injuries and are currently recuperating at a hospital in Koronadal City.

Operatives from the Sultan Kudarat police’s explosive ordnance disposal unit recovered at the scene components of electric wire, nails and a cellphone believed used as triggering device.

Supiter added that they are set to file charges of multiple frustrated murder with damage to property against the suspects.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=944264