MANILA
-- Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde, on
Monday flew to Jolo to check on the ongoing probe into the explosion that took
place inside and outside a Roman Catholic church in the capital of Sulu
province that left at least 20 people dead and several others wounded.
“Lumipad
para personal na tingnan ang imbestigasyon sa pagsabog (The PNP chief went to
Jolo to personally look into the investigation on the explosion), to condole
with the families of the victims, and to rally the forces in Jolo, Sulu. Also
to maintain alertness and vigilance and to encourage them to fight this
seemingly act of terrorism,” PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Bernard Banac told
reporters.
Based
on the report from the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao, the explosion occurred at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cathedral
at about 8:20 a.m. on Sunday.
Latest
data from the PRO-ARMM show that as of the evening of January 27, of the 20
reported killed, five were military personnel, one from Philippine Coast Guard
(PCG) and 14 were civilians. The 111 wounded were 90 civilians, 17 from the
Armed Forces of the Philippines, two from PNP, and two PCG personnel.
Earlier,
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the government is still
trying to determine if the twin explosions are related to the recently ratified
Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Malacañang
condemned the attacks, vowing that the government will bring the perpetrators
to justice. (PNA)
