Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 8) — Security forces have arrested one of the suspects in the bomb attack on Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City that left four people dead and 72 wounded, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad confirmed on Friday.
He said the suspect was captured on Wednesday during an operation in Barangay Dulay Proper, Marawi.
The AFP said the suspect was an accomplice of a certain Omar, whom witnesses said placed the improvised explosive device at the university gymnasium.
“This development shows the seriousness of the government in capturing the perpetrators of the terrorist attack on innocent civilians,” the AFP statement read.
On Thursday, an official of the MSU told CNN Philippines’ that one of the suspects, Kadapi Mimbisa, used to be a university student.
READ: Marawi blast suspect was former MSU student – school official
The Philippine National Police previously said Mimbisa alias Engineer is one of the two persons of interest in the bombing.
The other is Kadapi’s son, Arsani Mimbisa alias Khatab, it added.
After an executive session with top security and intelligence officials, Sen. Bato Dela Rosa said he is convinced there was no failure of intelligence in the Marawi bombing, in contrast to what he earlier suspected.
Dela Rosa said there was enough intelligence information but lack of appropriate action.
\”Pag binalewala mo yung intel report [at] wala kang gawing kaukulang actions, then sigurado pagdating sa atake you’ll be defenseless,\” the former PNP chief said.
[Translation: If you ignore the intel report and you don’t take appropriate actions, then for sure when it comes to attacks you’ll be defenseless.]
He said the Senate will investigate the possible liability of local military and police commanders, as well as officials of MSU in the fatal incident.
