Soldier who died in Jolo cathedral bombings was a breadwinner

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte pays his last respects to one of the victims who died during the twin bombings at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu as he visited Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Jolo on January 28, 2019. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

A soldier who was killed in the twin bombings that hit a Catholic cathedral in Jolo, Sulu last Sunday was his family’s breadwinner.

This was revealed by Victor Ayuman, uncle of Corporal Alison Ayuman of the 35th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, to ABS-CBN news as they seek justice for the death of his nephew.

The victim’s family member said Ayuman was the one shouldering his younger siblings’ tuition fee and supports his family’s everyday expenses.

The soldier started to become his family’s support after his father died in 2017.

Prior to his death, the victim’s uncle said his nephew wants to fix their old house in Lanao del Norte and buy their own lot.

“Sana ay mabigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay nila (I hope that justice will be given for their deaths),” the older Ayuman said.

Mass-goers on January 27 were supposed to have peaceful worship at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo when two improvised devices (IED) detonated.

CNN Philippines reported that Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the death toll has risen to 22 as of writing.

A total of 112 people, meanwhile, were injured from the incident.

President Rodrigo Duterte went to Jolo, Sulu on Monday, January 28, at around 2 p.m. and paid his last respect to the victims of the twin bombings.

He was accompanied by his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Chief Oscar Albayalde.

Authorities have placed Jolo, Sulu under lockdown to ensure safety in the area as perpetrators of the deadly bombings have not yet been caught.

CCTV caught alleged suspect

Meanwhile, reports said that the brother of a slain Abu Sayyaf leader, a certain Alias Kamah whom the police believe to be behind the bomb attacks, was caught in a closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage released by the authorities on Tuesday, January 29.

Wearing a blue-green jacket, the suspected perpetrator was giving something to his companion and then ran away when the bomb exploded.

Kamah is reported to be a member of Ajang-Ajang, a group affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf.

Malacañang earlier vowed that the military will go after and crush the “godless criminals” who bombed the Jolo cathedral.

“We will pursue to the ends of the earth the ruthless perpetrators behind this dastardly crime until every killer is brought to justice and put behind bars. The law will give them no mercy,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.