Suspects Confess Planting IED Bomb Near US Embassy, Says PNP Chief Dela Rosa

The two arrested suspects of the foiled bombing attack near the US Embassy have already admitted to planting the improvised explosive device (IED), Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa said Thursday.

On Wednesday, the PNP announced the arrest of two persons who could possibly be behind the foiled bombing attack.

They were identified as Rayson Kilala Sacdal, also known as Rashid Kilala, and Jiaher Guinar, both from Marawi City.

Furthermore, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde said Sacdal was arrested in Bulacan while Guinar was arrested in Caloocan.

The PNP Chief said the arrests were based on intelligence gathering and information submitted by concerned citizens, after seeing the composite sketch of the person responsible for the bombing attempt.

However, after interrogation, Dela Rosa said the suspects admitted on planting the bomb.

“Umamin sila. Inamin nila na Toyota Revo ang kinargahan nila ng bomba. Nasa possession na natin ang Toyota Revo. Una, radyo ang triggering device pero pumalpak, pinalitan ng cellphone pero pumalpak ulit. Nakonsensya na baka marami ang masaktan kaya nilipat sa Roxas Boulevard,” he said.

Dela Rosa said the cellular phone, which was supposed to be the IED’s detonator, was recovered from Guinar.

In addition, he said the two made the admission without their lawyers.

Refusing to provide them with lawyers, the PNP Chief said the suspects should look for their own lawyers.

“Papatayin na nga nila ‘yung mga inosenteng tao hahanapan ko pa sila ng abugadong para depensahan sila?” said Dela Rosa.

He said Sacdal and Guinar were members of rebel group Ansar al-Khilafah in the Philippines, which aligns itself to Maute Group who claimed link with international terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Dela Rosa added that the arrested suspects told the police that they have three more cohorts who went back to Marawi to help their group engage in a firefight with the Armed Forces in the Philippines.

Source: Sunstar