Identity of second Sulu suicide bomber still unknown: PNP

July 18, 2019

The Philippine National Police ( PNP) on Thursday said the second alleged suicide bomber in Indanan, Sulu is not the son of a Moroccan who is involved in the 2018 Lamitan blast.

In a press briefing, Police General Oscar Albayalde said based on the crime laboratory results, the second suspect’s DNA did not match on the Moroccan’s DNA.

“Based on the crime lab, it was negative result. The allegations are negative,” he said.

Authorities are still looking for a standard comparison that can identify the suspect.

“Unlike the first one that someone came and claim they are his family, this one we don’t have a standard comparison,” said Albayalde.

“He is still not identified and (we) cannot say if the person is foreigner or local,” he added.

Both the military and police confirmed one of the suicide bombers was a Filipino, making him the first validated local suicide bomber.

It was reported that the military presumed the other bomber was Moroccan after viewing an old video of two Moroccan boys left in the care of Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, a sub leader of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

Their father, a suicide bomber identified as Abu Kathir al-Maghribi blew himself  at Lamitan last July 31, 2018. Ella Dionisio/DMS