TWO suspects in the bomb blast that killed at least 15 people in Maguindanao province were charged with multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder, a spokesman for the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday. In a telephone interview with INQ7.net, Senior Superintendent Joel Goltiao identified the suspects as Hadji Suharto Ahmad and Parang town councilor Hadji Henry Abddul Kataf.
| A couple hajis, huh? One of them on the town council... |
Ahmad owned the motorcycle where the bomb was planted, Goltiao said, quoting witnesses’ statements to the police. Kataf is a political rival of Parang Mayor Victor Bataga, who was injured in the blast last Sunday, Goltiao said.
| I thought his name was Vicente? |
Goltiao said they could not immediately determine if the suspects belonged to a breakaway group of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The military said Wednesday that a faction of the MILF was contracted by one of Bataga’s foes to plant the bomb.
That would seem to me to be a pretty strong determination that they’re MILF, but then I’m not a Filippino copper ... |