Insurgency: MSU Bombing

Last week an IED exploded at Mindanao State University during Mass killing 4 and wounding 50. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1869861/bomb-blast-during-mass-kills-4-wounds-50-at-mindanao-state-university

Four persons died and  50 others were wounded after a bomb exploded inside the Dimaporo Gym of the Mindanao State University (MSU) while a Catholic Mass attended by students was held past 7 a.m. on Sunday, police reported.

Brig. Gen. Allan Cruz Nobleza, police regional director of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said three persons were killed on the spot and another one died before reaching the Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC), where rescuers rushed 43 people wounded from the explosion.

Aside from the 42 wounded people being treated at the APMC, another eight injured were treated at the MSU infirmary facility.

It was learned that the officiating priest, Fr. Benigno Flores Jr., had already started the Mass celebrating Advent when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded 15 minutes into the ceremony.

On Telegram the Islamic State issued a statement taking full responsibility for the attack. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1869962/is-claims-responsibility-for-deadly-bombing-at-mindanao-state-university

Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City on Sunday that killed at least four people and injured 50 others.

The bomb exploded during a Catholic Mass inside the university gymnasium in Marawi, which Islamist militants besieged for five months in 2017.

The Islamic State group, which wields influence in the country’s south, said on Telegram its members had detonated the explosive.

While the AFP says they are confirming the role of IS in the bombing they say the attack could be in retaliation for recent operations against Dawlah Islamiya.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/12/04/2316401/21-dawlah-men-neutralized-marawi-city-campus-bombing

The deadly bombing of Christian worshipers in Marawi City on Sunday came after state forces had killed up to 21 religious extremists in separate operations in Mindanao since June, among them the “emir” of the Dawlah Islamiya, wanted for 36 high-profile criminal cases in different courts.

Officials in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the region’s police director, Brig. Allan Nobleza and the commander of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, separately told reporters that the MSU gymnasium bombing seemed connected to the government having neutralized at least 21 senior members of the Dawlah Islamiya in various encounters in different areas in Mindanao in the past seven months.

Amidst suggestions that there was a failure of intel the AFP says there was such a failure. In a way. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/890645/afp-admits-failure-of-intelligence-in-a-way-in-msu-blast/story/

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday admitted that there was a failure in intelligence "in a way" in the deadly bomb attack in Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City.

“Kung titignan natin, kapag may nangyari, usually talagang hindi naman nahahagilap lahat,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita.

(If we look at it, if something happens, usually we cannot catch everything.)

“So in a way, parang yes, there is a failure. But whether meron po bang accountability iyong mga tao, iyon po ang iimbestigahan natin,” he added.

(So in a way, it seems yes, there is a failure. But whether the personnel have accountability over this, we will have to investigate.)

While it's true that the AFP cannot prevent every attack as some people fly under the radar there are a few strange circumstances in this case. The first being that both of the suspects have already been identified as members of Dawlah Islamiya-Maute. How do they know that for sure? The second is that in the initial photographs released of these men it appears that one of them surrendered way back in 2018.  

https://www.facebook.com/groups/201316450493470/posts/1389865358305234/

As the investigation progressed, two persons of interest emerged: Arsani Membisa and Wahab A Macabayo, also known as Wabie/Mortaba Marangit. Both individuals had surrendered in the first quarter of 2018, but their involvement in the bombing remained shrouded in mystery.

While it would seem that Wahab A Macabayo is not the correct name of the second suspect, nevertheless the media has reported that both individuals were known to the PNP since 2018.

In a press conference here on December 6, Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region chief Police Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza identified the POIs as Kadapi Mimbesa, alias “Engineer,” 35, of Barangay Gacap, Piagapo, Lanao del Sur, and Arsani Mimbesa, alias “Khatab,” “Hatab,” and “Lapitos,” of Barangay Gacap, Piagapo.

Nobleza said Kadapi is a bomb expert of the Dawlah-Islamiyah-Maute Group and facing cases of kidnapping and serious illegal detention and illegal possession of explosives. Kadapi has a P600,000 reward for his arrest.

Arsani is a DI-Maute Group member operating Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte and wanted for murder.

They are listed in the police Periodic Static Report in the first quarter of 2018.

Suspects were seen riding a motorcycle during the incident.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/7/police-identify-2-po-is-in-december-3-marawi-bombing

Despite being known for the past 5 years one of the suspects is a recent graduate of MSU. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/890624/bombing-suspect-engineer-a-recent-msu-graduate/story/

One of the suspects in the bombing of the Mindanao State University gymnasium has been identified as an MSU student, who had just graduated from the institution.

According to Mav Gonzales' report on "State of the Nation," Kadapi Mimbesa alias Engineer was tagged by those who were at the scene before the explosion.

Both persons of interest and a third unnamed suspect are said to be alleged members of terrorist group Daulah Islamiyah-Maute and have outstanding warrants of arrest. 

Alias Khatab is wanted for murder. Alias Engineer is said to be an expert in making improvised explosive devices.

This guy was known to be a member of Daulah Islamiyah-Maute, an expert bomb maker, was known to authorities since 2018, and yet he was allowed to attend and graduate MSU? 

Another report says neither of these men graduated from MSU but they lived on campus in a safehouse. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1872154/police-saying-that-2-suspects-in-marawi-blast-are-residents-of-msu

The two suspects in the deadly bomb attack at Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City last December 3 have secured a safehouse inside the university’s compound and have lived there for a while, a police official said on Thursday.

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) police office director Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza said unlike typical universities, MSU has no fence and covers almost 1,000 hectares of land.

(The two of them resided in Barangay Sikap within the grounds of MSU. They created a safehouse there, but they are not graduates of MSU.)

(MSU covers seven barangays or almost 1,000 hectares of land, but it is not enclosed or fenced, so people easily enter the area.)

Something is amiss here. Maybe now MSU will erect a fence and other security measures.

What the AFP, PNP, and other intel gathering agencies knew or did not know will likely never be publicly disclosed or discussed just as happened with the cover-up of all the intel failures that lead to the Marawi siege. 

In the wake of this bombing it has been suggested that martial law be reimposed but the AFP says such a declaration is not necessary. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1871145/msu-bombing-martial-law-brawner

There is no need for the imposition of martial law after the deadly bombing in Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City, according to Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.

“No, no, no,” Brawner said over CNN Philippines on Tuesday when asked about the possibility of a martial law in Mindanao. 

“There is no need.”

“Your security forces are on top of the situation and as I said we believe that they will not be able to launch another attack with the magnitude of the Marawi siege,” Brawner added.

Brawner noted that the AFP is on red alert while the Philippine National Police declared heightened alert in Mindanao.

While imposing marital law may not be needed and President Marcos would surely want to steer clear of declaring martial law and reproducing his Father's terribly legacy one thing is undeniable. That thing is Mindanao remains violent. Terrorists continue to wreck havoc. Yet the DOT wants to make Mindanao a tourist spot and the AFP continues to downplay the reality of the situation by declaring premature victory. Why is it so difficult for them to face the truth that Mindanao is not safe?