Police show CCTV video on airport bombing in Zamboanga

Local authorities here on Sunday showed to media a video taken from CCTV security camera footage that justifies the linkages of suspected bombers in Thursday's bombing near the arrival area of Zamboanga City International Airport.

In a press conference at City Hall, the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) chaired by Mayor Celso Lobregat presented pieces of evidence captured from the CCTV video footage establishing the linkages of Reynaldo Apilado and Hatimil Yacub Harun.

The authorities also showed a CCTV video footage of some scenes, including Apilado and Harun who were waiting near the arrival area when the explosion occurred.

Based on the CCTV footage, Saipudin together with a companion checked at Imperial Hotel on July 27, 20010 and the next day Apilado, Harun and a companion took over the said hotel room and continued until July 31, 2010.

The video footage showed that on August 1, 2010, the three persons transferred to a bigger room at the same floor in room 203 and until August 5, 2010, the day of the bomb explosion at the city airport.

It furthered that at about 3:15 in the afternoon on August 5, Apilado together with Harun and other companions left the Imperial Hotel. It showed Apilado returning a hotel key in the counter.

It also showed the suspects suspect were in the stairway going down and walking away outside the hotel.

Police Regional Office 9 (PRO 9) chief Edwin Corvera told reporters that in their investigation those finger prints taken from the hotel and the identification cards match with the finger prints of Apilado.

Meanwhile, Directorate for Integrated Police Operations Western Mindanao (DIPO WesMin) director Angelo Sunglao said they are looking into on whether a backbag was given to Apilado at the airport.

"Because based on the CCTV footage, when they (suspects) checked out from the hotel apparently they had no carried a bag...so we are investigating who carried the bag that was used," he added.

Sunglao said they are open to all the possible motives, one of which is the political, but said they are not discounting other motives.

But he said that, "with the development linking the pieces of evidence is leading to that point (more or less political)."

Earlier, during questioning by Philippine National Police chief Jesus Versoza with Governor Sakur Tan of Sulu, the latter told authorities that the the bomb attack was intended for him.

Tan also told General Versoza that Cocoy Tulawie, the main suspect in the first bomb attack on the Sulu governor a year ago in Patikul, was behind the Zamboanga City airport bombing last Thursday.

Tulawie, a former councilor of Jolo, Sulu and a leader of Bangsamoro Consortium of Civil Society, is facing warrant of arrest together with three companions for the first bomb attack on Governor Tan's convoy in Sulu.

He remains at large as of this report and he is now the subject of manhunt operation by police and military authorities.

Meanwhile, Mayor Lobregat clarified certain publication about the identification of the mastermind of the bombing who attempted on the life of Governor Tan of Sulu.

He said the authorities are looking at past attempts on the life of Governor Tan, wherein there were several suspects who have warrants of arrest.

"So the instructions of the PNP chief (General Jesus Versoza) is to make sure that there is a manhunt for those that have warrants of arrest," the mayor explained.

He said: "It does not necessarily mean that those suspects are the masterminds that cannot be more or less made very definite at this point in time."

Authorities identify suspected bomber at Zamboanga City international airport

Chief Supt. Edwin Corvera, director of the Police Region Office 9 (PRO 9), shows to journalists the photo of Reynaldo Apilado, whom the authorities suspected as the bomb carrier who blew himself Thursday night at the Zamboanga City International Airport. Also in photo are PNP chief Jesus Verzosa (left) and Mayor Celso Lobregat.

Police and military authorities announced the identity of a suspected suicide bomber who blew himself up targeting a governor of Sulu on the Zamboanga City international airport on Thursday night.

Security sources said that authorities are still conducting thorough investigation of the alleged suicide bombing which if confirmed could be the first of such attack carried out by a Filipino.

A police investigator described the video footage from a surveillance camera at the airport saying that they have seen the suspect (Reynaldo Apilado) who was standing infront of the arrival area and stayed there for almost four minutes."

"Then the passengers started to come out from the airplane. Perhaps, 3 to 4 passengers until such time the escort (vehicle) of Governor Sakur Tan passed when the explosion occured...the suspect has a bagpack at his back," he said.

The suspected bomber was identified as Reynaldo Apilado of Barangay Maasin, Zamboanga City. He was in his 30s and had been living at a local housing project for the past 3-4 years.

Authorities are investigating reports that Reynaldo Apilado came from Siocon town in Zamboanga del Norte and had stayed in Cotabato City sometime ago.

Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat said that a surveillance footage at the airport showed that the alleged bomber made no move to detonate the bomb that he was carrying in his backpack.

"So I would be very very hesitant to use the word suicide bomber because first of all there is no evidence that Reynaldo Apilado was the one who triggered the bomb. There was no triggering mechanism that was found within the vicinity."

Lobregat added that it is very possible that there was a remote triggering device that was triggered by somebody else. Aside from that, he said there is another angle that Reynaldo Apilado did not know that what he was carrying.

"Perhaps, somebody just asked him to carry the bag and to meet somebody in the airport. So all these angles are being looked into and we really should refrain from using the word suicide bomber because it is not verified," he said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Versoza, in a press conference in Zamboanga City, told reporters that the motive of the bombing incident appears to be a "politically motivated terrorist act."

"That is a possible attack on Governor Tan by a person through the used of bomb," Versoza said.

He said they are now looking also on previous incidents that might have some relations with the attack on Governor Tan before because there was an attempt on his life before also through the used of bomb.

"Our investigators are assessing and interfacing the other terror attacks which are polically motivated. In the initial finding, the bomb carrier itself that was a victim in the bomb blast," the PNP chief said.

Bombing at Zamboanga City airport

Two persons including a suspected bomber were killed and twenty two others wounded in a bombing Thursday evening outside the arrival area of Zamboanga International Airport in Mindanao.

2 people killed, 22 others injured

Suspected bomber blew himself

At least five people including a suspected bomber were killed and 22 others injured when a bomb exploded outside the arrival area of the Zamboanga City International Airport on Thursday evening.

Mayor Celso Lobregat told local reporters the explosion occurred at about 6:15 p.m. outside the city airport's arrival area.

"It appears that the person holding the explosive device (was the bomber). We can not determine yet what the explosive device used in the attack. The body (suspected bomber) was mangled," he said.

The mayor said one of those injured victims was Sulu Governor Sakur Tan who was among the passengers of a Philippine Airlines flight from Manila that landed in Zamboanga at 6:10 p.m.

"I was able to talk with Governor Sakur Tan of Sulu...he went inside the arrival area. He was there with his son (Mayor Tan)...the governor had a slight wound because he was outside the airport when the incident happened," he said.

Governor Tan was one of the passengers going out of the airport when the bomb exploded.

When asked if the bomb was intended for the Sulu governor, Lobregat replied. "He (Governor Tan) told me that the bomb was intended for him. He thinks so."

According to Mayor Lobregat, the Sulu governor told him that the bomb exploded a few feet away from him. "In fact, he showed me his shirt was full of blood stains and the t-shirt of his son Mayor Tan was also full of blood stain."

Tan's spokesman, Sonny Abing, said the governor suffered a scratch at the right abdomen, but the injury did not require Tan to be confined at the hospital. As of posting, Tan was in his residence in Zamboanga City near the airport.

Mayor Lobregat considered the bomb attack as a terrorist act, saying that "definitely, this is a terrorist act. How else can you describe it? This is an act of terrorist."

Also asked whether the attack was a suicide attack, he said the person who carried the bomb could have exploded prematurely or it could have been that the person did not know that he was carrying the bomb and somebody had a triggering device.

The mayor confirmed that one of the injured blast victims is a British national. "He is in the operating room. He is 69 years old I think he was just waiting a passenger."

Lobregat also said that US ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas canceled his trip to Zamboanga City due to the bombing incident at the airport.

"I was just informed by General Dolorfino that the trip or visit of the US ambassador has been cancelled definitely because of the incident."

Thomas was scheduled to fly to Zamboanga on Friday to inspect local projects funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The US military has had about 500 soldiers stationed in the southern Philippines since early 2002 to train local troops in how to combat Al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf militants.

Mayor Lobregat convened the city's Crisis Management Committee to assess the situation. He said the measures they adopted to address the incident include a much higher police and military visibility.

"We have also raised the level of alertness. We have asked augmentation of troops both from the regional police and the military’s WesMinCom. The police and military top officials here assured that they will put all the possible resources that they can put to secure the City of Zamboanga," Lobregat said.

Escalation of Sultan Kudarat hostilities

between 2 MNL-MILF faction leaders feared

Abandoned houses of the civilians in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat that are affected by the armed conflict of two Moro commanders Randy Karon of MNLF vs. Jing Caludtiag of MILF.

An armed conflict between a top commander of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) against a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat province is feared to escalate as hostilities between the two camps continue to claim lives.

Muslim leaders of Mindanao have tried but failed to pacify Datu Randy Karon, a top MNLF commander, and Jing Caludtiag, commander of the 104th Base Command of the MILF in the town of Lebak.Karon is a close ally and one of the trusted men of Chairman Nur Misuari during the MNLF-led armed struggle during the 70s and 80s in Central Mindanao.

When Misuari became the regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in 1996 and until 2001, Karon was appointed as the regional secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

After the failure of the traditional leaders, local government units and non governmental organizations to bring peace to Lebak, the International Monitoring Team (IMT) overseeing the cessation of hostilities between the government and the MILF has stepped in with the hope of ending the armed feud between two commanders.

Battle of supremacy

The said feud started last year and has already claimed several lives and displaced thousands of civilians who fled their homes to safer grounds in the towns of Datu Blah Sinsuat and Lebak in Sultan Kudarat, and its adjacent towns in Maguindanao.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the ARMM headed by Acting Secretary Pombaen Karon-Kadir reported that the displaced families have around 17,000 individuals affected by the MNLF-MILF commanders’ armed conflict.

They are temporarily housed in nearby villages and village halls while some of the evacuees are taking refuge at the houses of their relatives in neigh-boring villages.

A source of The Manila Times noted that the root cause of the armed conflict between the two Moro commanders was a reported “battle of supremacy” on who should control the strategic patches of lands along the coasts connecting the towns of Datu Blah Sinsuat and Lebak in Sultan Kudarat.

The two commanders, with their own armed followers in tow, engaged in gun battles several times last year, causing the dislocation of thousands of villagers who rely mainly on fishing and farming for their livelihood.

Protecting civiliansKaron told the members of the media that visited his lair that the MNLF forces loyal to him were just out to defend the civilian populace of Lebak who were reportedly harassed by the men of Caludtiag.

Karon claimed that the town of Lebak became a peaceful coastal municipality after the MNLF and the government signed the Final Peace Agreement in 1996.

He said the MNLF forces in the area including him have already reverted to their civilian lives after the signing of the peace accord that was brokered also by the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

According to Karon, after the failed signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the government and the MILF peace panel, some MILF commanders attacked certain towns in Mindanao to get the attention of both the local and international communities. Karon accused the MILF forces headed by Caludtiag, which according to him attacked also civilian installations.

“They attacked the power plant situated in Calamansig, Sultan Kudarat that included a power barge situated in the commercial port of Calamansig that eventually brought havocs into our civilian populace,” Karon complained.

Karon said because of the atrocity of the MILF forces under the control of Caludtiag, he was forced to recall his former MNLF combatants and regroup themselves into one fighting army.“I came to the point of recalling my old troops and regroup ourselves to counter act the terrorist activities of Caludtiag and his men,” Karon said.

Not sanctioned

Meanwhile, the MILF admitted that Caludtiag is one of their commanders, but claimed that he was not taking orders from the MILF central command. The group maintained that Caludtiag’s acts were not sanctioned by the MILF.

Ghazali Jaafar, the MILF chairman for political affairs, in a statement, said that while the trouble in Sultan Kudarat province involves an MILF commander, the MILF as an organization is not involved at all.

Jaafar also said that the armed conflict between the two commanders is an isolated case and should not affect the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the MILF scheduled after the observance of the Muslims’ holy month of Ramadan.

“Caludtiag’s involvement in the fighting is not sanctioned by the MILF. So it does not affect the peace talks between the GRP [Government of the Republic of the Philippines] and the MILF. This has nothing to do with it,” Jaafar said.

Appeal for peaceJaafar had sent a message addressed to both Karon and Ca-ludtiag, whom he advised to amicably settle their differences in order to bring back normalcy and peace and order in the towns of Lebak and nearby towns in Sultan Kudarat.

“I believe brother Karon, being a Muslim, and brother Caludtiag, being a Muslim too, must stop fighting because this is un-Islamic. You know, when one Muslim fights against his brother and the intention is to kill him, this is forbidden in Islam. Our hope is that both of them will agree to the proposed settlement initiated now by the IMT because many of their Muslim relatives and brothers are affected by their fighting,” Jaafar further said.

MNLF commander airs sentiment
over Misuari's unilateral decision

Datu Randy Karon (right), leader of Moro National Liberation Front’s Bangsamoro warriors in Central Mindanao, shows one of his high-powered firearms at Camp Watamama Silongan-II in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat. Joseph Zosobrado, Net 25

A top moro leader based in Central Mindanao said Prof. Nur Misuari cannot make a unilateral decision for the destiny of the Bangsamoro people.

Datu Randy Karon, leader the Moro National Liberation Front forces in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, made the pronouncement early this week.

Commander Karon has been in conflict with Jing Caludtiag, also a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front since March 2009.

The conflict has already claimed several lives on both sides and displaced thousands of people in the towns in Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.

"He (Misuari) should involve us. After all, we are freedom fighters. We fought for this cause, we fought for the aspiration of the Bangsamoro people," he said.

Now we have the peace agreement with the government and then he (Misuari) will just decide for the destiny of the Bangsamoro people alone, no! That can't happen, we will always oppose him but we still recognize him as the chairman of the MNLF," he pointed.

Karon, however, said Nur Misuari is still considered as their leader in the organization, stressing that they do not disown the MNLF founder.

"In fact, we have that high respect on him, but you know in an organization like us, you can't evade some sort of mental conflict, belief. I think that's the only thing we differ now."

He further said that there is no personal conflict between him and the old man, as it is only a matter of technical problem.

Dismissing a report that he already split from the MNLF and he formed his own group, Commander Karon sai he is still an MNLF and that MNLF is Nur Misuari.

"You can't prevent some circumstances that the group has also this internal problem but this is a problem within our organization. We will settle this once and for all but you know because of my problem can't see and talk to the old man (Misuari)," he added.

According to him, there are moments that they have opposed Misuari's idea because he is not a perfect man.

In fact, Karon said they have been doing some initiative and effort with the group to reconcile all their differences between them.

"We have already started moving but you know, this is hampered by this problem (conflict with Caludtiag). So I have to stay with my boys here. So how would I work with my MNLF brothers and sisters in other provinces?"

Karon explained they have initiated move under that unified MNLF hard cores, but not to abandon Nur Misuari or destroy the MNLF and make another organization.

"No...our intention here is to unite the MNLF to pursue the peace agreement that we have signed with the Philippine government. That is our final and ultimate goal for reorganizing the MNLF again."

When asked if still take orders from Chairman Misuari, Karon replied: "At the moment I don't. As I have said this is not a company. This is an organization. This is not own by Nur Misuari. we will see what kind of orders he is going to give us. If it is advantageous or favorable for the Bangsamoro people, we still abide him. But if his order is going to be erroneous to the organization, so why abide it?" -- HG