THREE members of the Maute Terrorist Group who exploded a bomb in Davao City on Sept. 2 and killed 15 people and injured 69 more are in police custody, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Friday.
He said the three were on board a motorcycle with no license plates when they were arrested at a checkpoint in Cotabato City on Oct. 4.
“We have recovered solid pieces of evidence showing that they are indeed the terrorists who bombed Davao City on September 2,” Lorenzana said.
He said the authorities confiscated materials for making explosive devices, a sub-machine gun, a .45-cal. pistol and cellular phones from the three men.
He said one of the men placed the bomb in position, another detonated it and the third took a video of the explosion using his cellular phone.
“There are indications that the Maute Group is trying to align themselves with the ISIS as seen in the recovered video,” Army chief Eduardo Año said. “We have also established their link with the ASG as they revealed their intention to disrupt the government’s massive military operations in Sulu.”
Officials said about 10 members of the Maute Group participated in the Davao City bombing.
They said the group had planned to use hand grenades in case the bomb failed to explode to inflict more casualties.