MILF offers help solve Oro blast

Moreno, who was in Manila Wednesday to attend the Senate inquiry on the bombing incident in the city, is hoping that with the help from other sectors including the MILF, the incident will be solved “as soon as possible.”

“Sometimes tragedy can change the character of a person. This (incident) will change the character of the people of Cagayan de Oro,” Moreno told the Senate inquiry body chaired by Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

Morenohas also appealed to the people and the media to avoid issuing any speculative statement that would link the city’s explosion to a certain group or to last Monday’s bombing in Cotabato city.

During the inquiry, Department of Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas has made it clear that the Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato incidents are not in any way linked.

Roxas also concluded that the July 26 blast was designed to kill and maim since it was detonated in a crowded place during “happy hour.”

The city police office have informed the senate inquiry body that they have already filed charges against lone identified suspect Usman Hapids at the city prosecutor’s office Tuesday.

Cagayan de Oro City Police Office Chief Graciano Mijares said Hapids is now facing multiple murder and frustrated murder charges.

City Prosecutor Fidel Macauyag said Usman Hapids, a suspected member of the Thalifa Islamiah Mindanao, is responsible for the incident.

Reports said Thalifa Islamiah Mindanao is a terrorist group based in Mindanao.

Macauyag said there are seven complainants and seven witnesses who identified Hapids as the suspect.

“Based on the records and evidence submitted to me, if not controverted, I would say these are enough to indict the suspect,” he said.

Macauyag said he created a panel of three prosecutors to handle the case and will hold a clarificatory hearing on August 20. At this hearing, the complainants and witnesses will appear to clarify the complaint.

“Few days after, they might get a resolution because the respondents cannot locate the suspect. Our target is to come up with the resolution before the fiesta celebration in Cagayan de Oro. This must be hastened since this case involves public interest,” he added.

Macauyag said they will be the one to determine the charges, “but in our initial evaluation, all the evidences are enough…if we find the probable cause.”

Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao Regional Director Lyndel Desquitado said they have intensified the security blanket in Northern Mindanao. Even during the city’s fiesta celebration in August 27-28, “is part of the security plan.”

He said they have heightened security measures not only in Cagayan de Oro but in whole of Northern Mindanao.

“We are positive, very positive (in due time the bombing will be solved),” he added.

For his part, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said there should be a need to augment the capacity and resources of the police to solve incidents like these.

“Justice can only be achieved if we solve this crime. If nobody gets caught, nobody gets punished,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel also questioned the intelligence-gathering capability of the law enforcement agencies. “Is it excusable that something this big is not detected by the intelligence community?”

Sen. Gregorio Honasan said that these incidents are nothing new. “Paulit-uli na ito. Nagbago lang ang petsa (This has been recurring time and again. Only the date has changed.)”

Honasan said there is a need to strengthen the laws and to do an inventory of laws in connection with the bombings and similar acts.

He cited a 2008 legislation that would charge a person for unauthorized possession of explosives.

In a statement, Poe said the bombing will affect the investor confidence in Cagayan de Oro and that “we should not take this bombing lightly.”