- The attack killed seven, including the attackers, and injured 22
- The attacker was identified by his family before the tests
MANILA, Philippines: Philippine security forces on Wednesday announced that DNA tests had confirmed that one of the two suicide bombers in the June 28 attack on an army elite force camp in Sulu was a Filipino, a first for the Southeast Asian nation. President Rodrigo Duterte said in a speech on Tuesday that he saw “very dangerous times” ahead in the country, as he vowed to supply the military and police with new weapons and support to deal with the problem.
“We can confirm the incidence of the first suicide bombing in the Philippines perpetrated by Norman Lasuca,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo in a press conference at Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.
Eight people, including three soldiers, three civilians and the two suspects, were killed in twin explosions at the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (1BCT) command post in Indanan, Sulu. Ten civilians and 12 soldiers were also wounded in the attack.
Days later, Vilma Alam Lasuca claimed the remains of one of the two suspects, whom she identified as her son.
Arevalo said DNA testing on the samples taken from Lasuca and the suspect’s brother, Alhussin, matched Norman’s DNA profile.
The AFP spokesman said that Norman, who was in his early 20s, was a battered child who ran away from home in 2014. “He was a victim of his own father, a laborer who, maybe due to exhaustion from work and his small income, would vent his anger on the young Norman. He ran away and was never seen again by his family,” Arevalo said, quoting Lasuca.
The AFP spokesman said that authorities were still working to establish the identity of the second bomber. The spokesman and the Philippine National Police (PNP) sought to allay the fears of the public, saying that government security forces were exerting all efforts to defeat the threat of terrorism in Mindanao.
“We wish to highlight the fact that the AFP has its keen focus on Sulu to defeat the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to put a stop to the terrorist activities and atrocities they commit against the people of Sulu, in Mindanao and the country,” Arevalo said.
In compliance with the president’s order to crush the ASG, the AFP had earlier deployed a marine battalion landing team, and another army infantry battalion in Sulu. Aside from the existing forces in the province, the 11th Infantry Division was activated to support a focused military operation.
Additional naval and air assets are also set to be deployed in the province.
The Philippines is also continuing its collaboration and information sharing with other countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and the US to build its counterterrorism operations.
The June 28 incident was the third of its kind in Mindanao. The first was at a military checkpoint in Lamitan, Basilan, on July 31, 2018, where the suspect was a Moroccan. Ten people, including the suspect, died in the attack.
FASTFACT
• The June 28 incident was the third of its kind in Mindanao.
• The first was at a military checkpoint in Lamitan, Basilan, on July 31, 2018, where the suspect was a Moroccan.
• The second occurred last Jan. 27 at the Jolo Cathedral also in Sulu.
The second occurred last Jan. 27 at the Jolo Cathedral also in Sulu. The incident, believed to be perpetrated by an Indonesian couple, killed 23 people including the suspects. More than 100 were injured.
PNP spokesperson Col. Bernard Banac said that authorities were still assessing possible links between the two suicide attacks in Sulu, even as they had already concluded that “the Abu Sayyaf group has a hand in both incidents.”
And while assuring the public, the military and police admit the big challenges posed by terrorism. However, they said it was an opportunity for Filipinos to unite to face the threat.
Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Arsenio Andolong told Arab News that recent terror attacks in Mindanao where foreign militants were involved had raised the level of concern about terrorism and violent extremism. He said that a review of the country’s security protocols to prevent similar incidents from happening was required.
He cited the need to tighten border security and immigration policy, and to amend the existing Human Security Act.
“We really have to retool the way that we deal with them. We have to review and study how best we can do this and it will not be something that the military — the AFP, the DND can do alone. Not even martial law can prevent this,” he said.