Philippines Names Two Pro-ISIS Group Members As Bomb Suspects In Marawi

Philippine authorities at the site of the explosion. (Source: Facebook/Provincial Government of Lanao Del Sur)

JAKARTA - Philippine police on Wednesday named two men as suspects, after being suspected of being involved in a deadly explosion that killed four people during a Catholic Mass at a university on the weekend.

Those suspected of masterminding the attack in Marawi were members of Daulah-Islamiyah Mate, the pro-ISIS militant group that controlled the city in 2017, occupying it for five months, defending it from ground attacks and airstrikes by the military.

The suspects are Kadapi Mimbesa (35) and Arsani Membisa, whose age has not been determined, the police said at a press conference. Both have extraordinary arrest warrants for crimes such as murder and kidnapping.

"We will file a suitable case against the identified suspect along with other John Doesn," Brigadier General Allan Nobleza, local police director, told Reuters December 5.

"We are mobilizing our resources to ensure the perpetrators are imprisoned," he said.

The two suspects are known to have their addresses at Lanao del Sur Province. However, they also carried out criminal operations in the neighboring province, Lanao del Norte.

Kadapi Mimbesa still has an arrest warrant for the kidnapping and illegal possession of explosives, in exchange for the arrest of 600,000 pesos (US $ 10,849). Meanwhile, Arsani Mem can be wanted for murder, police said.

Meanwhile, other suspects, suspected of being surveillance, have not been identified.

As previously reported, a bomb exploded at the Mindanao State University game located in Marawi, while the service was taking place there on Sunday.

"I strongly condemn the unreasonable and most heinous acts committed by foreign terrorists," said Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., quoted from SCMP.

"Ekstremists who commit violence against innocent people will always be considered as enemies for our society," he said.

Security forces said four people were killed and dozens injured in the explosion.

Separately, the Islamic State group in its post on Telegram claimed responsibility for the attack.