Police identify more than 2 persons of interest in MSU bombing

Police on Monday said they have identified more than two persons of interest in Sunday's deadly bomb attack at the Dimaporo Gymnasium in Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City — an attack being claimed by the Islamic State.

“We have persons of interest and one of our persons of interest pointed on 'yung local terrorist,” Bangsamoro Police Regional Office chief Police Brigadier General Allan Nobleza told Unang Balita in an interview on Monday, when asked to confirm the Islamic States' claim.

The Islamic State group, which wields influence in the country's south, said on Telegram that its members had detonated the bomb, according to a Reuters report.

“Mayroon kaming (we have) persons of interest but the investigation is still ongoing. In order not to preempt the investigation we will not divulge the names,” Nobleza said.

Nobleza said police are looking at different angles in the investigation, and that a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) has been created to focus on and expedite the probe.

Full alert status has been raised over the entire Mindanao to prevent other possible attacks, Nobleza also said.

AFP validating

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), meanwhile, said it is validating the Islamic State's claim.

Aside from Islamic State, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said the military is also checking the possible involvement of Dawlah Islamiyah - Maute Group in the attack that killed four people. 

“The AFP is validating the claims made by ISIS in the recent news reports as well as the involvement of the DI-Maute Group in this heinous acts of terror,” Trinidad told reporters.

The blast occurred at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday as a Mass was being held at the gym attended by students and teachers.

According to Nobleza, four people were killed and 45 others were hurt. Of the wounded individuals, 35 have been released from the hospital.

At least 10 wounded persons are still at the hospital and five of them are critically injured, he added.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Sunday said there are strong indications of a certain foreign element that could possibly be connected with the bombing attack.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has condemned the incident, which he described as "senseless and most heinous acts perpetrated by foreign terrorists."

Asked as to the identity of the foreign party that Marcos was referring to, Teodoro said they are not at liberty to disclose any information.

He also refrained from answering if the MSU bombing was related to the war between Israel and Hamas militants.

“There are strong indications of a foreign element. Let’s leave it at that, so that the investigation both by the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) will not be hampered,” the defense secretary said. 

AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said they are looking at all possible angles to the Marawi City bombing.

He said the AFP is trying to determine whether the bombing was related to any recent attacks in other areas in Western Mindanao. 

The United States, meanwhile, condemned what it described as a "horrific terrorist attack" in Marawi City.

The United States is in close contact with its Philippine partners and stands with Filipinos in rejecting the act of violence, it said in a statement.

"We continue patrols and security in schools is tighter," Major Alinaid Moner, spokesperson of the Lanao del Sur police office, said in a radio interview on Monday. —KBK, GMA Integrated News