TACLOBAN CITY—Police Chief Supt. Elmer C. Beltejar, Police Regional Office 8 Director, on Thursday said its Special Investigation Task Group will soon identify the suspects of the bombing that injured 35 people at the Plaza Rizal in Barangay Central Poblacion in Hilongos, Leyte last December 28.
Beltejar said their initial investigation revealed three unidentified male suspects leaving the blast site—a boxing ring during an amateur boxing event at the Hilongos town square—as captured on closed-circuit television camera footage police were still studying.
“We already have a lead towards the solution of the incident, but we cannot divulge information yet as it may compromise the on-going investigation,” SITG Commander Police Senior Supt. Allan T. Cuevillas said.
Police crime scene investigators recovered components of the improvised explosive that used pieces of 60mm and 81mm mortar rounds placed in two separate locations near the boxing ring, which were detonated remotely by cellphones, Cuevillas said.
The Leyte Police Provincial Office said that as of press time, only three out of the 35 injured persons were still confined at the Leyte Provincial Hospital in Palo, Leyte.