Zambo explosion: handiwork of the ASG - PNP

Police authorities in Zamboanga City have alleged the homegrown terror group Abu Sayyaf were involved in Sunday's twin explosions.

Superintendent Jonathan Perez, Zamboanga City police officer-in-charge, said that one of the three suspects was positively identified as an Abu Sayyaf member.

"It's confirmed. The explosions were the handiwork of the ASG," he said.

Perez said witnesses collaborated with a police artist to produce sketchers of the suspects.

One of the sketches, he said, heavily resembled Joel Sarim, a notorious member of the Abu Sayyaf.

Sarim is also known as Abu Madja and Ibno Madjin.

Perez said to make sure about Sarim's involvement, the police and the military worked together and compared the artist's sketch with a photo of the suspect.

"Eight different military and police intelligence groups conducted several meetings and coordination until they were able to spot in one of their galleries a photo of Sarim that fitted the description provided by the four witnesses in the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral blasts as well as the one that occurred near the office of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Veterans Avenue here," he said.

Senior Superintendent Lurimer Detran, chief of the 9th Regional Mobile Group (RMG), said because they were able to establish the identity of one of the suspects, it would now be easier for the police to track them down.

Asked to provide more information about Sarim, Detran said the suspect is based in Basilan. He said Sarim had previously trained in Syria.

Perez said Sarim is a demolition expert and worked with Khadaffy Janjalani, the slain chieftain of the Abu Sayyaf.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said Sarim and the other suspects should immediately be arrested.

"What should be done now is to apprehend the suspect or suspects, file the appropriate charges and bring these people to the bar of justice," he said.
(By Julie Alipala, INQ.net)