Añoand Indonesian couple sets off bombs in Jolo cathedral

MANILA - Philippine authorities investigating the bloody Church bombing in Jolo last Sunday today claimed an Indonesian couple perpetrated the twin bombings.Secretary Eduardo Año of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) told reporters in Leyte that the local terrorist group Abu Sayyaf provided the logistical and guided the couple in the attack, online news organizations said.Twenty-two blast victims have died. The latest was a 68-year-old woman who expired in Zamboanga City Medical Center on Thursday afternoon. Ang talagang nagpasabog dun ay Indonesian suicide bombers. Pero ‘yung mga Abu Sayyaf ang nag-guide sa kanila, nag-aral ng target, nag-reconnaissance, surveillance at inihatid ‘yung mag-asawa doon sa loob ng simbahan, Año said in Palo, Leyte where President Duterte was to visit but later on skipped the event. While the investigation remained incomplete, Año said that findings are still being validated and counter-checked.The National Bureau of Investigation said there were body parts that remained unclaimed at an Army morgue in Jolo, raising suspicion that those could be the body parts of suicide bombers.Año said police investigation was corroborated by survivors who were inside the Church at the time the first blast occurred.Año ruled out reports the bombing could be related to the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite. The referendum was already over, the bombing cannot influence the outcome, it was pure terrorism, he said.