Abu Sayyaf behind Sulu suicide bombing attack —police

Security forces on Wednesday tagged the Abu Sayyaf as the perpetrators behind the suicide bombing attack inside a military camp in Indanan, Sulu, last month that killed eight people and wounded over 20 others.

"Based sa information na nakuha natin, locally initiated attack organized by the Abu Sayyaf group," Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Colonel Bernard Banac said at a press briefing.

Banac said ISIS' claim that they are the ones behind the attack "is still up for validation."

"As of now, walang ebidensya na may kaugnayan ang ISIS dito," Banac said.

Banac added that all security measures are in place to prevent terrorist attacks and that security forces are intensifying their intelligence monitoring.

"Napakaigting na ang ating security na pinapatupad sa ibang bansa at lalo na sa southern Philippines," Banac said. "We have sophisticated security measures."

"We are really doing its best to counter these terrors," he added.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said that there will be adjustments in the security measures in Mindanao, especially in Sulu, following the bombing incident.

"Definitely magkakaroon tayo ng adjustments in our techniques, tactics and procedure given this development in Sulu... but as you know and I know you would understand we just cannot reveal that to you because those are operational matters that cannot be publicly announced," Arevalo said.

Security officials earlier said one of the two suicide bombers was a Filipino identified as Norman Lasuca.

This came after the DNA results, examined by Regional Crime Laboratory Office (RCLO) 11, showed that there is 99.99 percent probability match between the alleged suicide bomber's DNA sample and that taken from a woman who identified herself as his mother.

"Hence, it can be concluded that one of the alleged suicide bombers is the son of Vilman Alam Lasuca," RCLO 11 said in the laboratory report

Meanwhile, authorities said the identification of the second alleged suicide bomber is still underway.

Banac said security forces are continuing to collect DNA samples from possible family members and relatives. —KBK/BM, GMA News