Suicide attack, command detonation angles eyed in Sulu blast

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte chats with Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) Commander Lieutenant General Benjamin Madrigal Jr. before boarding a plane bound for Singapore at the Tactical Operations Group (TOG)-11 in Davao City on November 12, 2018. The President is scheduled to attend the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits which will kick off on November 13. SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — While it is not discounting the angle of suicide bombing, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is also looking into the command detonated theory or the detonation by remotely controlled means – as another angle behind the attack at the tactical command post of the 1st Brigade Combat Team (1BCT) in Barangay Kajatian, Indanan, Sulu that killed eight persons, including three soldiers last June 28.

This was stressed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, Jr. during an interview with reporters Tuesday.

He said this possibility was based on reports that the soldier or soldiers standing on guard at the tactical command post tried to stop the alleged bomber after seeing the suspect carrying something suspicious.

At this point, the explosion then took place so it is hard to tell whether last week’s attack was a case of suicide bombing or command detonation, the AFP chief stressed.

After the explosion that damaged the gate, Madrigal said another bomber, whom witnesses described as small, dark and clad in a bonnet, darted inside the compound but was neutralized by troops before the bomb he was carrying exploded.

“Whether it is suicide bombing or command detonated, we cannot really tell because if you will look at the area, there are houses nearby. These areas are visible. But if observed, it can either be command detonated or suicide bombing,” the AFP chief added.

Also, it was fortunate that the second attacker was neutralized before he managed to reach the barracks or the number of casualties would have been much higher, Madrigal pointed out.

It also helped that there were two KM-450s and a smaller vehicle in the explosion area, which blocked the path of the shrapnel, he added.