COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 6 December)—Two of the suspects in the Advent Sunday Mass bombing at the Mindanao State University (MSU) main campus in Marawi City, who police said are members of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute group, have been positively identified by survivors.
The suspects: Kadapi Mimbesa alias “Engineer” (left) and Arsani Membisa alias “Khatab/Hatab/Lapitos.” Photo courtesy of PNP
Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, chief of the Police Regional Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), in a press conference in Marawi City on Wednesday broadcast live over Zoom and Facebook, said it was the findings of the newly created Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) “MSU Dimaporo Gymnasium Explosion” led by Col. Robert Daculan, Lanao del Sur provincial police chief.
Police identified the suspects as Kadapi Mimbesa alias “Engineer” and Arsani Membisa alias “Khatab/Hatab/Lapitos.”
“Two of our survivors positively identified these suspects,” Nobleza said.
He did not, however, explain the discrepancy in the spelling of the suspects’ family names, one being a Membisa and the other a Mimbesa, if they are relatives or not. Nobleza said Membisa is from Munai in Lanao del Norte, and no mention as to Mimbesa’s hometown.
Mimbesa alias “Engineer,” Nobleza said, has pending warrants of arrest for illegal possession of explosives, kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
He is believed to be a bomber and sub-leader of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute group with a bounty of P600,000 pesos.
Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza in Marawi City. MindaNews photo by BOBBY TIMONERA
The second suspect, Membisa alias “Khatab,” was a surrenderee in 2018. Nobleza said he was part of the remnants of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute group, which was responsible for the 2017 Marawi Siege.
Nobleza said alias “Engineer” (Mimbesa) was the one who went inside the Dimaporo Gymnasium and planted the bomb under a chair while Membisa was on a motorcycle waiting outside the gym.
There was reportedly someone else involved in the bombing, who served as look out.
The PNP has not yet released CCTV footages taken from the vicinity business establishments around the gym.
Meanwhile, Nobleza admitted that despite demolishing the terror group during 2017 Marawi Siege, remnants or remaining cells are still active. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
