Cops: Results on hunt vs Zambo blast suspects 'in next few days'

After launching a manhunt for the suspects in last Thursday’s deadly bombing at the Zamboanga International Airport, police vowed Monday to get results in "the next few days." Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. hinted the three suspects were still in Zamboanga City as of Monday. "Hinahanap sila ng ating [mga] operatiba sa Zamboanga City (Our operatives are looking for the suspects in Zamboanga City). I think we are positive, we are going to have results in the next few days," Cruz said in an interview on dwIZ radio. Cruz said they managed to identify the suspects via closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage both at the airport and at a hotel where the suspects checked in. He said the leads they gathered so far indicate the bombing was politically motivated but with the bomb exploding prematurely, and not a suicide attack.

Suspected bomber Reynaldo Apilado and Hatimil Haron were killed in Thursday night’s blast. PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said they are looking into whether the attack was connected to the failed assassination of Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan last year in Sulu. Versoza said two of the suspected bombers, who were captured in Sulu after a firefight with police forces, implicated Temogen Tulawie, Muamar Astali and a third man identified only as Abs. "The three men are facing multiple frustrated murder and illegal possession of explosives. They are at-large. Police forces are hunting down the three men," he said. Tulawie, a defeated congressional aspirant, went into hiding after the failed assassination of Tan on May 13, 2009. He used to be a political activist and a member the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society in Sulu, and was active in street protests against the presence of US troops training Filipino soldiers in the province. No suicide bombers Cruz said the CCTV footage at the airport showed Apilado loitering near the arrival area and not making any moves that indicated he knew he was carrying the explosive. "Wala sa kanya ang trigger, at mukhang di niya alam dala niya ang bomba (He did not hold the trigger and may not even be aware he was carrying the bomb)," he said. Besides, he said Apilado had told his family he was going home in a few days, indicating he had no plans of dying. The second CCTV footage taken from a local hotel showed the suspects stayed there a few days before the incident. Cruz reassured the public that there are no suicide bombers in the country, after insisting the CCTV footage of Apilado indicated he was more an accidental than a suicide bomber. "Wala sa background o pag-uugali o behavior ng Pilipino... na mag-suicide bombing (It is not in our background or behavior as Filipinos... to engage in suicide bombing)," he added. — RSJ, GMANews.TV