The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) has identified the person of interests in the deadly bombing incident in the gymnasium of Mindanao State University (MSU) - Marawi City campus, NICA director Ricardo De Leon said on Monday, Dec. 4.
In an interview during DZRH Damdaming Bayan, De Leon mentioned that they could not disclose the identities of the person of interests yet.
"May persons of interests tayo at this time. Hindi pa pwedeng i-reveal dahil nasa stage pa tayo ng investigation," he said.
Dir. Ricardo De Leon, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, sa nangyaring pambobomba sa MSU: The investigation is going on. But based on the initial findings, talagang IED ang ginamit sa Dimaporo Gym.#DamdamingBayan#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) December 4, 2023
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The NICA director said there is no closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed inside MSU's Dimaporo Gymnasium, but there is a CCTV outside the gym.
He added that investigators are now backtracking the CCTV footage.
"Tinitingnan nila kung may makukuhang mga faces kasi may person of interests na tayo," De Leon said.
He confirmed that the suspects used an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) to blast the university gym.
"The investigation is going on. But based on the initial findings, talagang IED ang ginamit sa Dimaporo Gym," the NICA director said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorial Staff Lt. Gen Emmanuel Peralta first reported that fragments of 60-millimeter mortar coming from the IED were initially gathered from the crime scene.
According to De Leon, the forensic team is now looking at the signature of the IED.
"Yung signature ay tinitingnan pa yung mga components niyan ng ating forensic. Hindi ko pa nakikita ang report ng ating SOCO [Scene of the Crime Operation team]. But that is already the briefing na binigay sa atin. There were burns, walang grenade," De Leon said.
The NICA Director leaves it to the PNP to identify the motives behind the bombing.
"I cannot make conclusions as of now. Iiwan ko muna sa PNP to do their thing. Ang goal ko lang naman is stabilized immediately to assure the academic community na under control," he furthered.
