Two Jolo bombing suspects caught on CCTV surrender to clear names

Two of the persons caught on CCTV at the time of the explosions that hit the Jolo cathedral on Sunday have surrendered to the authorities.

According to a series of tweets by Jonathan Andal of Super Radyo dzBB, the two individuals submitted themselves to the police to clear their names.

They were aged 24 and 17 and were residents of Jolo. They claimed they were just buying medicine from a nearby pharmacy when the explosions hit the Jolo cathedral on Sunday.

They reportedly asked the help of local officials to approach the PNP.

One of the persons who surrendered was the one wearing the green jacket in the CCTV video.

He denied that he was alias Kamah, who authorities said was a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group's Ajang-ajang group that was said to be behind the Jolo explosions.

The two individuals also denied that they knew the man in the blue shirt who was also caught on CCTV.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command earlier identified the persons in the CCTV as members of the Abu Sayyaf Group's Ajang-ajang group.

The Ajang-ajang is reportedly made up of mostly teenage bandits, who are said to be next generation members of the ASG.

The authorities have identified three of the suspects in the CCTV footage, including one alias Kamah, who supposedly wore the green jacket in the video and who is said to be a brother of Abu Sayyaf bombmaker Surakah Ingog.

Security forces on Tuesday afternoon raided Kamah's home after they received reports that he was seen in his Kalimayan Village, Barangay Latih, Patikul.

During the raid, 62-year-old Ommal Yusop, believed to be Kamah's relative, was at the residence and resisted arrest. The raiders were thus forced to use deadly force to subdue Yusop.

Kamah and an unidentified suspect were meanwhile able to evade the raiding force and fled the scene.

Recovered at Kamah's residence were a .45 caliber pistol, a sniper scope, two mobile phones, and a motorcycle.

Kamah, said to be a logistician for the Abu Sayyaf's Ajang-Ajang sub-group, was seen near the Mount Carmel Cathedral last Sunday, moments before twin blasts killed 20 people and injured 98 others.

Tuesday's raid was the first security operation staged against suspects in the Jolo cathedral bombing.  —NB, GMA News