Tacurong blast suspect arrested

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Authorities have arrested a 16-year-old tagged as one of the primary suspects in the grenade blast in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat that left eight people dead and 34 others wounded on New Year’s Eve.

Col. Agustin Demaala, 301st Army Brigade commander, said the suspect, a resident of Barangay Calean in Tacurong City, was arrested Monday night as he was checking out of a hospital where he had sought treatment for injuries from the blast.

Demaala said the suspect was apprehended by joint military and police agents after witnesses identified him from a police sketch.

Military spokesman Army Maj. Julieto Ando said the teenager was seen with the principal suspect and a companion minutes before a powerful explosion rocked the Tacurong City plaza where hundreds of New Year revelers were gathered.

Police deputy provincial director Superintendent Norberto Batislaong said the suspect was overheard speaking with his two companions in the Maguinda-nao vernacular.

Batislaong, commander of the task force overseeing the investigation of the grenade blast, said a joint military and police team is now in pursuit of the grenade thrower, described as in his early 20s.

Demaala, who earlier raised the possibility that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was behind the grenade attack, said they are still establishing the possible link of the suspect with terrorists.

"Aside from (being) a minor and (an) out-of-school youth, we are trying to determine now if the suspect was either used or hired by lawless elements to sow terror," Demaala said.

Government and MILF negotiators started yesterday their joint inquiry on the allegations that rebels were involved in the bombing.

The Tacurong City government earlier offered a P100,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of the suspects.

Mayor Lino Montilla said the arrested suspect, even if a minor, should be prosecuted after he reaches the majority age of 18.

"Maybe this time he will be held for custody by the proper agency but when the time comes, he must be prosecuted and slapped with capital punishment," Montilla told The STAR.

On the other hand, Tacurong Regional Trial Court Judge Francis Palmones clarified he has yet to issue a warrant against the suspect.

"As of today (Tuesday), the prosecution represented by acting city prosecutor Emmanuel de Peralta has yet to file formal charges against the suspect although I was only informed that they would be filing," he said.

Sources from the provincial prosecutors office have expressed fears that the arrest of the 16-year old suspect may weaken the filing of criminal charges.

"The police could hardly place the arrest of the suspect under the validity for warrantless arrest or he was arrested following a hot pursuit operation," the source told The STAR.