5 militants linked to deadly church bombing surrender in the Philippines

Five suspected Abu Sayyaf militants accused of involvement in the deadly bombing of a Roman Catholic cathedral in the southern Philippines have surrendered to authorities, the national police chief said on Monday.

Complaints for murder and attempted murder were filed against the five, as well as several other suspected Abu Sayyaf fighters who remain at large, for their role in the January 27 attack at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Sulu province’s Jolo town, which killed 23 people and wounded nearly 100 others.

Before the bombing, the suspects taken into custody had escorted the two Indonesians thought to have carried out the suicide attack around Jolo and to a meeting with an Abu Sayyaf commander, Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, who has been accused of plotting and funding the attack, Police Director-General Oscar Albayalde said.

Police said the five suspects were led by a suspected local militant identified as Kammah Pae, who has denied any involvement in the bombing.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Pae may have known about the planned attack but was not directly involved, adding that the military will coordinate with police to sort out differences in their findings. Troops were hunting a different suspect, he said.

“Although he has knowledge about the bombing … he did not actually participate,” Lorenzana told reporters, without elaborating.