Blood, body parts lead cops to eye suicide bomber in Jolo attack

Investigators are looking into the possibility that a suicide bomber was among those behind the explosions that tore through the Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday.

According to Emil Sumangil's report on "24 Oras", probers are looking at some pieces of human body and blood that were seen at the front portion the biggest Catholic church in Jolo after the blasts.

These, according to investigators, could have been what's was left of the bomber.

"'Wala pa tayong ebidensiya na ito ay perpetrated by a suicide bomber although sabi nga kanina, very unlikely na makapasok ka diyan na naka-bag ka without being noticed," Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said.

Probers have also identified a suspect who was caught on CCTV images before the twin blasts that killed at least 20 and injured 98 others.

"Meron pong isang na-identify na personality affiliated with the ASG Ajang-ajang group. Ito yung youth na gonagamit ng Abu Sayyaf na special errands," Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said.

Año said the suspect in the CCTV could have brought in the bomb into the church before leaving the premises.

Earlier reports indicated that the first explosion occurred inside the cathedral while a Mass was ongoing, and over a minute after the first blast an improvised explosive device mounted on a motorbike in a parking went off.

Albayalde said shrapnel from the explosive devices reached from as far as 500 feet from the blast sites.

He said the explosives could not have weighed less than two kilograms.

"Ang ginamit nila ay parang GI (galvanized iron) sheet na parang pinanggagawa ng stainless jeep. It's probably as big as a container, canister ng mga gatas, two kilos, something like that," Albayalde said. —Dona Magsino/NB, GMA News