MSU blast suspect falls

The Armed Forces of the Philippines announced a significant breakthrough in the arrest of a suspect linked to the devastating bombing at Mindanao State University in Marawi City on 3 December that left at least four dead and 50 injured.

Col. Xerxes Trinidad, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, identified the suspect as Jafar Gamo Sultan, alias Jaf and Kurot, who was arrested in Barangay Duay Proper in Marawi City on Wednesday.

Sultan was tagged as one of the companions of a certain Omar, the person who reportedly brought the improvised explosive device into the Catholic mass at the MSU's Dimaporo Gymnasium.

The Islamic State group earlier claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, admitting on the messaging platform Telegram that its members had detonated the bomb.

"Also seized by the troops were two motorcycles," Trinidad said.

The AFP is investigating the suspect's possible links to the local terrorist group Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute. The group was responsible for the Marawi siege in 2017.

"This development shows the seriousness of the government in capturing the perpetrators of the terrorist attack on innocent civilians and in ensuring that similar incidents will not happen again," Trinidad said. "It also demonstrates the AFP's commitment to its mandate as the protector of the people and the state."

The Philippine National Police earlier named two persons of interest in the bombing — Kadapi Mimbesa, alias Engineer, and Arsani Membisa, alias Khatab, Hatab, and Lapitos.

Both are said to be members of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute group and have standing warrants of arrest for various crimes, including murder.

CCTV footage at the scene showed Mimbesa carrying a bag in which the bomb or IED "could have been hidden."

Senators hail arrest

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa lauded the authorities for the latest development in the fatal bombing incident.

"I would like to congratulate our security forces for the arrest of one of the suspects. It was not a lone wolf attack, so we have to urge them to utilize all their resources to arrest the remaining suspects, especially the two identified suspects," Dela Rosa told reporters in a Viber message on Friday.

Following the Marawi incident, Senator Robin Padilla filed Senate Bill 251, or the Terror Victims Assistance Act of 2023, seeking to establish an assistance program for terror attack victims and families of fatalities.

"In most cases, if not all, victims of these evil acts who suffered injuries and the families of those who were killed are left on their own with mounting expenses, such as but not limited to, medical, burial, transportation, and even long-term rehabilitation," Padilla wrote in his bill.

Under SB 251, the state, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, "shall provide financial, material, psychosocial and referral support and services to individuals and households who became victims of terrorism; and ensure the swift and efficient delivery of such support and services to them."

Other senators on Friday lauded the arrest of the alleged accomplice in the bloody bombing at Mindanao State University.

"We applaud our law enforcers' arrest of one of the MSU bombing suspects and urge them to persist until they find the masterminds of this hideous crime," Senator Imee Marcos said in a statement.

Marcos also urged the people to "work together for a lasting peace and genuine development in Mindanao," acknowledging the historical injustice committed against Muslim Filipinos.

"Let us not allow corrupt officials to exploit this tragedy, as they have exploited such tragedies in the past for their own personal gain," she added.

In a separate statement, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III reminded the authorities to respect the rights of the suspects behind the bombing.

"I encourage the Philippine National Police and law enforcement agencies and the entire government to conduct a swift but thorough investigation of the recent Marawi-MSU bombing," Pimentel said.

"Follow the evidence and charge those where the evidence leads, always remembering that these people are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and their rights should be respected all the time," he added.

ASEAN condemns bombing

Meanwhile, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday strongly condemned the bombing incident at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City.

In a statement, the foreign ministers of the ASEAN denounced what they described as a "heinous terrorist attack."

"We fully support the efforts of the government of the Philippines in addressing the situation and bringing the perpetrators to justice," the 10-member regional bloc said.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wish the injured a speedy recovery," it added.

ASEAN reiterated its commitment to work with the Philippines in combatting terrorism in the region.

"We stand in solidarity and are ready to work with the government and people of the Philippines during this difficult time," it said. "We also reaffirm our commitment to continue, strengthen, and enhance regional counterterrorism cooperation to prevent a recurrence of the terrorist incident in the future."