MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the case of the twin bombing incident at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu on Jan. 27 is already “solved” but not yet “closed.”
PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac said there are still things to follow up on the five arrested suspects, who were allegedly members of Abu Sayyaf sub-group Ajang-Ajang.
“Ito ay case solved lang at hindi pa case closed. Ibig sabihin, [nasa police custody na] ‘yung mga suspects at naisampa ‘yung mga kaso laban sa kanila,” Banac said on Tuesday. “Patuloy ‘yung pagtugis doon sa mga nalalabi na suspects.”
So far, already in police custody were Kammah Pae (alias Kamah), Albaji Kisae Gadjdali (alias Awag), Rajan Bakil Gadjali (alias Radjan), Kaisar Bakil Gadjali (alias Isal), and Salit Alih (alias Papong).
A total of 14 suspects namely Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, alias Imam; Usman Absarah, alias Usman; Barak Ingog, alias Bars or Barak; Makrim Abisi, alias Makrim; Absara alias Bapah Absara, an alias Ebing, and several John and Jane Does were still being hunted.
Banac said all suspects are facing 23 counts of murder, 95 counts of frustrated murder, and a case of damage to property before the Sulu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
The Department of Justice (DOJ), meanwhile, said the complaints against the suspects were already filed at their office after the Sulu police terminated inquest proceedings.
As part of the procedures, a prosecutor has to find probable cause that the respondents committed the alleged crimes before charges could be filed in court for trial, said DOJ undersecretary Markk Perete./PN
